


The potter twins and the sorcerers stone

by rysocrypt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter Has a Twin, Reader-Insert, one-sided draco malfoy/reader, smart ass y/n, sorcerer's stone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 58,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27790456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rysocrypt/pseuds/rysocrypt
Summary: the story of harry potter and his twin sister y/n potter as they navigate the magical world and their first year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. a story on how things would have gone if he had a sister who was a bit more intelligent than him.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Reader, Petunia Evans Dursley/Vernon Dursley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 54





	1. Dudley gets got

"up! get up! now!" y/n and Harry woke with a start, the shrill voice of their aunt petunia causing y/n to hit her head on the ceiling making her kick her brother in the stomach. most rooms weren't that small but she and her brother didn't have much space, because they slept in a cupboard underneath the Dursleys stairs.

aunt petunia started rapping her bony knuckles on the cupboard door. "up!"

y/n tried to block out the noise with her pillow, but she knew aunt Petunia wouldn't let her go back to sleep she sighed as her twin moved to sit up. harry had always been more accustomed to mornings than his night owl sister and understood her dislike towards the day. y/n usually hated the day but this one was even worse than usual, it was their cousin Dudley's birthday

y/n wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep but their aunt was back at the door,

"are you up?" she demanded more than questioned

"nearly we couldn't possibly miss Dudley's birthday for the world." sarcasm dripped off y/n tongue as she rolled her eyes making harry smile, his smile vanished as their aunt snapped at y/n. "watch your tone young lady! well, get a move on, harry you'll be looking after the bacon, y/n you'll be setting the table and don't you dare mess it up! I need everything to be perfect for Dudley's birthday."

the twins shared exasperated looks then went on with their tasks

y/n wasn't sure how aunt Petunia expected her to set the table because it was practically invisible underneath all Dudleys presents among them y/n was sure were things like a new t.v to replace the other 3 he's broken, video games would only play for 2 months tops and a bike the twins didn't quite understand why they bought Dudley bikes the only time Dudley liked exercise was when he was using harry as his punching bag

that was the difference between the twin y/n had never been attacked as Dudley claimed he 'wouldn't hit a girl' and to be honest y/n was insulted if he tried to hit her y/n would have sweeper the floor with him and wished she could for beating up harry she loved her brother and it pissed her off that he could just mess with him without consequence

another difference between the twins was their looks they looked nothing alike y/n had soft h/c hair unlike Harrys untamable black locks and she didn't wear glasses however they both had the same vibrant green eyes and lightning bolt scar Harrys his forehead and y/n's on her neck neither of them knew how they got their scars that's the first question either of them recalls asking

"in the car crash where your parents died," she said "and don't ask questions"

that alone was suspicious to y/n unlike harry who just accepted the 'don't ask questions' rule y/n couldn't help but wonder what they were hiding after all what kind of car crash gives people identical scars harry knew she was skeptical but they didn't bring it up often since no one wanted to talk about how their parents died

finally, their uncle Vernon made an appearance and y/n was just thrilled to see him sharing a look with her brother as she finished setting the plates moving to do the dishes so she could be closer to her brother harry was stone-faced but the look in his eyes this happened every day

uncle Dursley said his usual greeting to harry "comb your hair" what a nice man

Dudley soon came down the stairs gracing us all with his presence and within the first 5 minutes of being downstairs almost had a meltdown because he had 2 fewer presents than last year his parents called him down by of course promising him even more gifts y/n and harry almost chocked on their food as they tried to finish before Dudley could throw a fit and flip the table

as they were eating the phone rang and aunt petunia went to answer it while the others watched as Dudley opened his presents a few minutes later aunt petunia returned her face more sour than usual

"bad news miss Figg broke her leg she cant watch the twins," she said eyeing the two with distance  
but the twins were far too excited to focus of the look their aunt gave them every year on Dudley's birthday they would go do something with his friends and the twins would spend the day at miss Figg's a mad cat lady that showed them photos of her cats the entire time they're there it was so boring but in y/n's opinion anything was better than time with the Dursleys

aunt petunia looked at the twins as if they had planned this "now what?"

"We could phone aunt merge" uncle Vernon suggested

"don't be silly Vernon she hates both of them"

they Dursleys talked like this often like the two weren't there or rather they were and unpleasant street dog nobody would take and usually as a pair 'them' as a set which made sense the two were practically conjoint at the hip but it was dehumanizing none the less

"what about your friend-Yvonne?"

"on holiday in Majorca," said aunt petunia

"you could just leave us here," Harry asked hopefully but that hope was quickly snuffed out by aunt petunia dismissive look "and come back to the house in ruins" she snarled

"We won't blow up the house," y/n said but they were already trying to find a different solution harry threw a look at y/n as if to say 'worth a try'  
"I suppose we could take them to the zoo..." aunt petunia said slowly "and leave them in the car"

"the cars new were not leaving them in it"

Dudley began to cry loudly though his face was bone dry y/n swears she hasn't seen him cry in years if ever 

"dinky duddydums don't cry mommy won't let them ruin your special day," she said consoling him in her arms

"I...dont...want...them...t-t-to come!" he cried through crocodile tears the twins shared a thoroughly unimpressed look Dudley sent them a wicked grin through his mother's arm

on cue, the doorbell rang "oh good lord there here" aunt petunia exclaimed dramatically and a moment later Peirs Polkiss, Dudley's best friend was in the house Peirs was Dudley's best friend meaning he was the one who held people back as Dudley beat them up especially harry if they got the chance that is unless y/n was around which was an almost always good idea on their part cause y/n had no room for bullies in her life

it didn't even cross her mind that half an hour later she was in the Dursley's car with her brother on the way to the zoo for the first time in their lives they had to share a seat but y/n was to exited to complain 

before they left uncle Vernon pulled them aside "I'm warning you two" he said close enough to spit on them with all his blubbering "any funny business -any at all- and you'll be in that cupboard till Christmas"

"We won't do anything" said harry "honestly-" but uncle Vernon didn't believe him only y/n ever did she was the only one he could trust in this place

y/n and harry wish they could promise to be on their best behavior but the thing was weird things happened around them it was just the way things were

one day aunt petunia got so tired of Harry's messy hair they chopped it all off all that was left were his bangs to cover his scar all night y/n had to console him about what people at school would say but by the time they woke up his hair had all grown back just as messy the Dursleys never commented on it witch y/n found very suspicious

and another time some bully girls had dumped paint all over y/n and her things but by the time she ran to the bathroom the pain was gone and the girl's backpacks were full of nothing but paint the school thought this was y/n trying to get back at the girls so they sent her home with a note hearing her 3 weeks in the cupboard but to this day no one knows how the paint got there or was their stuff was

but today the twins had to be sure nothing odd happened they had never really been out of the house except to go to miss Figgs and school they had to make this last

they were silent on the ride their while uncle Vernon complained to aunt petunia he liked to complain a lot mostly about the twins but today he was ranting about motorcycles but the twins weren't really listening they never did talk much around the Dursleys

it was a sunny Saturday morning when they arrived and the zoo was packed with families. The Dursleys brought Dudley and Piers huge chocolate ice creams at the entrance and since the grinning woman in the van asked the twins what they wanted before the Dursleys could rush them away, they presented to the twins a solitary and modest, lemon twin pop. It wasn't terrible either they thought, devouring it as they watched a gorilla scratch at his butt. They traded looks and laughed silently, the gorilla looked like Dudley if he wasn't blonde

y/n and Harry had the best morning in some time, which turned out to be even better as they spent in it with one another. The two made sure to put some distance between them and the Dursleys so Dudley and Piers, who was beginning to get exhausted with the creatures past noon, wouldn't turn to hit Harry and Piers couldn't find the opportunity to admit how he liked y/n when plainly she didn't reciprocate his emotions. By any stretch of the imagination.

they should have known it was too good to last

After lunch, they wandered into the reptile house which was cool and dim. Behind the glass, different various sorts of reptiles and snakes were wandering around in their fenced-in areas. Dudley immediately found the biggest snake in the room, which could loop around Uncle Veron's car twice and crush it, a boa constrictor. As of now, it wasn't in the mood for visitors as it was sleeping soundly

It rested on in spite of them Dudley squeezed himself against the glass and cried at his dad to "make it move." Uncle Vernon meekly responded by tapping on the glass to no effect

The two moved before the cage and took a look at the snake. They wouldn't have been shocked if the snake had kicked the bucket of boredom- unlike them, the snake had no twin to keep them company aside from brain-dead people drumming on the glass, attempting to upset it day in and day out. that cage was even worse than their cupboard

The snake suddenly opened its dark beady eyes gradually, raising its head until it was on eye level with the twins, who both remained at the same height

and It winked. 

The twins staired before looking at one another as if to make sure they weren't crazy. y/n murmured under her breath,"did that snake just wink at us?" 

"I think so," Harry said, glancing around rapidly to check whether anyone else was watching, they weren't. "should we wink back?" 

"Um... sure? That's very kind of you, Harry." Trading a weary look, they glanced back at the snake and winked at it

The snake then jolted its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley then raised its eyes to the roof. It was a look that said: "I get that constantly."

"that sound awful" y/n muttered through the glass and Harry nodded his agreement.

"It must be really annoying." The snake nodded his head vigorously.

"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked. y/n rolled her eyes at that there was a little sign by the glass her brother could really be so tactless the snake then jabbed its tail at the sign next to the cage It read 'Boa Constrictor, Brazil'. "oh" harry said realizing his error "Was it nice there?" 

"Harry, it says on the sign he was breed in captivity" y/n called attention to running a "right my bad" from her sibling. She frowned and turned to the snake in compassion, "so - that means you've never been to Brazil..."

As the snake shook its head, a startling yell from behind the twins made the two jump. "DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" 

Dudley ran over as quick as possible, which wasn't very fast y/n thought

"Out the way, you," he said, shoving Harry in the ribs, catching him off guard as he fell on the hard floor. y/n, despite the fact that she knew Dudley would never punch a girl, despite everything stumbled quickly out the behemoth's way, just to be safe, and raced to Harry's side. Right now she was helping Harry back on his feet, she faltered after hearing the cries of horror from Piers and Dudley, who lept back.

She gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had disappeared. The snake itself uncoiled itself quickly and crawled out on to the floor - people all through the reptile house shouted and dashed to the exit. 

y/n and Harry's head moved animatedly as the snake slid quickly past them and both traded glances again in question as the two of them could have sworn a low hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thankssss, amigos." 

"Did that snake just talk?" said y/n. Harry just answered. "I think so.

The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia some strong sweet tea while saying 'sorry' again and again about the incident, while Piers and Dudley could just gibber. y/n and Harry talked in quieted tones among themselves over the incident how the snake hadn't really done anything separated from playfully snap at their heels. In any case, back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling a fanciful story how it had almost gnawed off his leg and about crushed Piers to death. To top it all off, for the twins, was Piers quieting down enough to state, "Harry and y/n were talking to it, weren't you two?"

Uncle Vernon held up until Piers was out of his home before starting on the twins, Harry standing in front of y/n protectively. He was so irate he could barely talk and only spat out single words. "Go - cupboard - stay - no suppers," before he fell into a seat and Aunt Petunia needed to run and get him a huge glass of Brandy. 

much later, the twins lay in the dark cupboard, using Dudley's old watch y/n managed to swipe to realize the ideal time to sneak into the kitchen for some nourishment when the Dursleys were sleeping. 

"We - We didn't do anything Harry to deserve this," y/n grumbled, getting misty-eyed however Harry saw the obvious struggle she was going through to keeping it all in, holding the scratched watch firmly in her shaking grasp. "They are so mean to u-us."

Something in his heart wavered, pained to see his twin so upset that he didn't realize he was embracing her until he was repeating softly, "I know, I know," in her ear. rubbing comforting circles into her back, she clung onto him so tightly the back of his shirt scrunched up in her grip. 

They had lived with the Dursley's for a long time, ten miserable years, for whatever length of time that they could recollect, since the time they were babies and their folks kicked the bucket in that car crash. y/n didn't remember the car crash and neither did harry. In some cases, when she strained her memory she would see a dream of a blinding blaze of green light and a consuming pain on her neck. That couldn't be the accident, right? She would discuss it with Harry now and again, who'd recall a similar vision however an agony in his forehead. They couldn't remember their parents and the Dursleys would not talk about them and it was against the rules to ask. y/n and Harry would, secretly, talk about their parents who were they and what might they have been like. In some cases fantasizing about how different their lives would have been in the event that they hadn't died. They didn't have the faintest idea what they resembled as there were no photos of them in the house.

With all the time in the world to think in the pantry, Harry realized how appreciative he was for his twin, y/n Potter. She, in contrast to the Dursleys, was caring, supportive and was the only one who might stand up for him just like he would with her. it was them against the world

He looked as she pulled away from his grasp, her eyes somewhat puffy from crying tears despite everything pricked around the edges. Without a doubt, she cleaned them away with her sleeve and grinned a strong smile towards Harry. She pulled up a worn-out yet at the same time practical card box which was held together by numerous bits of tape. She most likely took it from Dudley, which was not a surprise io/ to Harry, she was substantially more sly than him, in more ways than one

"How about we play cards to pass the time, we'll get food soon, alright?" She asked sweetly, her delicate grin out of nowhere changing to a serious smile. "I wager I can be you 5 times in a row." 

"try me,"Harry answered, a grin playing at his lips. She truly was the best twin he could have asked for.


	2. Put that letter back where it came from or so help me

The getaway of the boa constrictor had earned the twins their longest-ever punishment. By the time they were allowed out of the cupboard again, summer vacation had started and Dudley had broken various toys he had gotten for his birthday. In any case, the cupboard wasn't that bad, y/n thought, thanks to Harry, she always had company

Harry was happy school was over because there was no getting away from Dudley's gang, and their favorite game: Harry-hunting. He to some degree was jealous of his twin, who did not get similar treatment from Dudley's posse, and even though Dudley hated y/n and harry equally is group didn't feel the same. They were afraid of y/n. Harry likes to think it was because she was a young lady and hitting one was out the question however y/n was much more receptive than her brother she knew it was because they all had a slight crush on her. y/n, however, thought this was laughable for them to torment her brother while she wasn't around only to lay off him when she was there just so they could get in her good graces. newsflash: they never did.

which is why harry always stuck close to his sister during school, Dudley's group never moved toward him on the off chance that she was around, and to some extent, she was Harry's bodyguard. but one way or another they would get separated at the worst times. Dudley's gang would visit the house every day and every time he wasn't attached to y/n at the hip it would bring trouble for harry.y/n was very aware of this and while she would like to improve things there wasn't much she could do.

that's why the potters spent as much time as possible out of the house wandering the neighborhood talking among themselves giving each other small things to look forward to, little rays of hope that kept them going. often the two wandered Into the nearby library due to y/n's passion for literature one of the things harry admired her for, more or less she had better grades harry.

when September came the twins would finally be away from the Dursleys for the first time in their lives at secondary school. but y/n didn't care where they went as long as she was with Harry and away from her cousin and his friends

soon thereafter Dudley got his new Knickerbockers for school and the twins outfits were soggy and swimming in grey dirty water. y/n's recoiled in disgust at the smell of the dirty water wafting through the air.

"What's this?" Harry asked their aunt. Her lips fixed as they generally did on the off chance that they set out to ask a question. 

"Your new school outfits," she said.

Harry opened his mouth to pose more questions but y/n poked him lightly in the side, shaking her head. It was best not to ask questions or argue. So she only let him know discreetly how Aunt Petunia was coloring Dudley's old things. It would not be a good look on the first day at their secondary school - like they were wearing bits of elephant skin maybe. Harry mumbled a, "oh, right." Before the two took a seat at the table and tried to not consider it much. Uncle Vernon was reading his paper, as normal. Dudley was being, well, Dudley.

They heard the snap of the letter-box and flop of letters on the mat. "Get the post-Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper. 

"Make Harry get it.

"make Dudley get it"

"I'll get it," y/n stood up and went to get the post, the discussion was accomplishing nothing for them. 

Harry reluctantly joined her, something nagging in the back of his mind. Three things lay on the 

mat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister, Aunt Marge, (who y/n despised), a brown envelope 

that seemed to be a bill and - a letter for the twins.

The twins shared a look before Harry picked it up, the two gazed at it eagerly. "No ones ever written to us before," said y/n, her heart increasing in pace. "Who would?" 

"The library? Mabey you didn't hand a book back," Harry figured, however, the address was so oddly written that couldn't be plausible

on the backs of the letters it read:

Mr. H.Potter  
The Cupboard Under the Stairs   
4 Privet Drive  
Little Whinging   
Surrey

Mrs. (Initial).Potter  
The Cupboard Under the Stairs   
4 Privet Drive  
Little Whinging   
Surrey

The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp, rather, a purple wax seal bearing a crest showing: a lion, a raven, a badger and a snake encompassing a huge "H."

"hurry up, both of you!" yelled Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. Making y/n narrow her eyes angrily towards the kitchen entryway. "What's taking so long are you checking for letter-bombs?" He laughed at his joke while y/n rolled her eyes at the man. What a nightmare. Harry just shook his head at his twin's antics.

Harry and y/n returned to the kitchen, despite everything gazing at the letter and then to one another. She gave Uncle Vernon the bill and postcard, sat down alongside Harry and watched curiously as he started to slowly open the yellow envelope. ignoring Uncle Vernon completely, that was until Dudley decided to ruin everything.

"dad!" said Dudley. "dad, Harry, and y/n's got something!" 

At the moment of unfurling their letters, Uncle Vernon snatched them out of Harry's hands. "hey!" y/n shouted out, swiping for the letter. "Those are ours!" 

"yeah!"

"Who'd write to you?" Sneered Uncle Vernon, opening the letter. His face went from red to green quicker than a traffic light and y/n almost snorted out of entertainment as it didn't stop there. within minutes he was greyish white as though he had seen a phantom.

"P-P-Petunia!" He wheezed. 

Dudley attempted to get the letter but Uncle Vernon held it high out his reach aunt petunia took it inquisitively and read the first line. She clutched her throat and made a stifling noise. "Vernon! Goodness, my goodness - Vernon!" 

They looked at one another, appearing to have overlooked that the twins and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't as used to being ignored as harry and y/n so he was pretty miffed. y/n, not one to give up tried to grab for the letter again, sneaking around Uncle Vernon, and Harry tried to help her. But  
Uncle Vernon pushed them away by their faces with his fat hands before either of the twins could regain their composure. The thick material had slipped between y/n fingers. This made her grumble in irritation.

"I want to read those letters," said Dudley loudly. 

"I want to read them," said y/n angrily, "as their ours." 

"Get out, all of you," croaked Uncle Veron, stuffing the letter awkwardly back inside its envelope. The twins didn't move. 

"WE WANT OUR LETTERS!" The twins yelled as one. 

"Let me see it!" whined Dudley.

"OUT!" thundered Uncle Vernon, taking Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and tossing them out in the lobby. Simultaneously, Aunt Petunia pushed y/n out by the back. She tried to run back in and snatch the letter but Uncle Vernon had caught her with his arm before she could. slamming the kitchen door behind them. y/n jeered as Harry and Dudley had a quiet battle over who might look through the keyhole. Dudley won, so Harry, his glasses dangling from one ear and slipping down his nose, turned to the split between the door. y/n, being educated, pressed her ear against the wall and listened. 

"Vernon," Aunt Petunia started in a shuddering voice. "look at the address - how would they know where they sleep? You don't think they're watching the house, do you?" 

"Watching - listening - may be tailing us," he mumbled fiercely

"In any case, would it be a good idea to writhe back, tell them we don't-" 

"No," he said at long last. "No, we'll ignore it. On the off chance that they don't get an answer... yes, that's the best solution... we won't do anything..." 

"Be that as it may, - " 

"I'm not having two in the house, Petunia! ones bad enough! Didn't we swear when we took them in we'd stamp out that hazardous hogwash?" y/n's eyebrows furrowed, she looked at Harry, who looked back from over his glasses. Uncle Vernon was talking about them, right? what did he mean?

Later that night when Uncle Vernon returned from work, he did something he had never done before, visited the twins in their cupboard. y/n had to quickly hide the Uno cards they were playing with under her pitiful cushion before Uncle Vernon saw.

"Where are our letters?" said Harry, the second Uncle Vernon stomped through the entryway. "Who's written to us?" 

"Nobody. It was sent to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon in a matter of seconds. "I've destroyed it." 

"so they just happened to have our names and where we slept on them?" y/n shot back furiously, "that 

was no slip-up " 

"Quiet!" hollered Uncle Vernon and a couple of creepy crawlies tumbled from the roof. y/n didn't jump instead she scowled at him through her eyelashes. He took a couple of full breaths and afterward forced the fakest smile shed ever seen.

"Er - really, Harry, y/n - you're getting a bit Big for this cupboard arent you. I and your aunt think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom."

"why" y/n questioned in disbelief

"don't ask questions!" snapped their uncle. "Take your things upstairs, now." 

The Dursley's home had four rooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for guests (normally Aunt Marge, so y/n, in the event, that she got the opportunity, would put bugs in there), one where Dudley rested and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things he was unable to fit in his first room, a large portion of which, were broken or unused. It took just one trip to move the entirety of the twin's possessions to this room. They'd have to share a bed but there was more space to move around so they could care less. y/n promptly rushed to the shelves which were brimming with books that looked as if they'd never been touched. it was full of books like IT by Stephen King and Lord of the Flies by William Golding, works of art Dudley had never appreciated.

y/n flipped through the book mice of men and rolled her eyes at the sound of Dudley yelling at his mother: "I don't want him in there... I need that room... make them get out..." 

The twins sighed in tandem at their cousin's entitlement. y/n sat on the end of the bed as Harry stretched out on it. As much as y/n wanted that letter, she delighted in the idea of having an actual room and books to entertain herself with. 

The next morning at breakfast, everybody was fairly quiet. Dudley was stunned. He'd screamed and shouted but still didn't have his room back. Harry and y/n were thinking about this time yesterday, wondering what was in that letter. Vernon and Petunia kept trading dark looks, like Harry and y/n would do when they thought the Dursleys did something completely moronic or out of line. 

when the post showed up, Uncle Vernon, who appeared to be acting civil with the twins, sent Dudely to go get it. They heard him make a fuss down the hall before he yelled, "There's more! Mr. H Potter and Miss. (Initial) Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive

With a choked cry, Uncle Vernon leaped from his seat and down the lobby. Harry directly behind him. y/n just drank some tea. with Aunt Petunia, looking worried with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows. eventually, joining Harry and observed, sipping from a chipped mug, as Uncle Vernon, Dudley, and Harry had a battle for the letter. As much as she needed that letter like Harry, she just shook her head at the chaos. "even I'm not that desperate."

Vernon fixed up, panting for breath, with the twin's letter's grasped in his hand. "Go to your cupboard - I mean, your room," he wheezed at Harry before pointing at his twin, who leaned on the door connecting the kitchen to the hall. She rose an eyebrow. "You go too." 

Harry walked around his new room, y/n watching in worry from behind a book as Harry plotted in his mind. "Harry, I don't have a clue what you're planning but...I'm in. I need that letter just as much as you but it would be nice if you would stop pacing around. I'm worried." 

"Right, sorry." Harry quietly apologized and sat on the foot of the bed, she only waved her hand and went "no big deal."

The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the following morning and Harry hurriedly turned it off, thankful y/n had repaired it last night. When she had heard his idea to get up first thing in the morning dread lined her face, so Harry offered to do it by himself. He didn't mind, he knew how much she hated mornings. 

y/n groaned in irritation surely as the alarm had woken her up, she mumbled "good luck" to Harry as he sneaked past the entryway and went downstairs. A few minutes after the fact, she was back sleeping soundly. That was until she heard shouting from the ground floor and she sat up in bed, sluggishly looking at the door. Harry had been caught. God damn it, Harry. She tuned in as Harry was scolded for about 30 minutes and a few minutes later he returned to the room, noticeably upset. "It was worth a shot Harry."

Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the letter-box.

On Friday, no less than 12 letters showed up for Harry and y/n. They couldn't go through the letter-box so they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the side and even a few forced through the small window in the downstairs toilet. through the little window on the ground floor can. 

Uncle Vernon remained at home once more. confiscating all the letters and got a hammer and nails to block all the crevises around the front and secondary passages so nobody could go out. He seized at any noise.

Things began to get out of hand on Saturday. 24 letters to the twin found their way through the home, rolled and covered up inside every one of the two dozen eggs that their befuddled milkman gave to Aunt Petunia through the window. Uncle Vernon was losing it as he whined to the mail station on the telephone and y/n couldn't deny she was amused in how all of Uncle Vernon's difficult work was going to waste. 

"Who on earth wants to talk to you that badly?" Dudley asked the twins in shock, y/n only shrugged.

On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon took a seat at the breakfast table, looking worn out and fairly sick yet strangely glad. 

"No post on Sundays," he reminded them brightly as he spread preserves on his toast, "no damn letters today - " 

"Are you sure about that?" y/n asked and just like that, something came zooming down the kitchen chimney as she talked. Next second, 30 or 40 letters came pelting out the chimney like shots. The Dursleys dodged, however, Harry jumped into the air attempting to get one and his sister, the smart one, took one-off the floor.

"Out! OUT!" Uncle Vernon held onto the letter out of y/n hand similarly as she figured out how to open the wax seal and tossed it with the flood of letters gushing into the room. He tossed both of the twins into the corridor with Aunt Petunia and Dudley following, running out with their arms over their faces.

"So close yet so far," y/n said woefully to Harry as Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. The letters proceeded with their surge in the kitchen, you could hear it. 

"That does it," Uncle Vernon stated, attempting to talk calmly yet he was pulling big tufts out of his mustache. "I need all of you back here in 5 minutes, ready to go. We're leaving. Simply pack a few clothes. No arguments!"

After ten minutes, they were in the car, speeding towards the motorway. All fun had left the events y/n was still glad Uncle Vernon, at last, had gotten some karma for tormenting her what's more, Harry for quite but now... He had officially lost his mind. 

"found the perfect spot!" Uncle Vernon stated, "Please! Everybody out!" 

It was freezing outside the vehicle. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what resembled a huge stone way out in the ocean and roosted on the stone was the most hopeless little shack you could ever imagine. 

"Better believe it, perfect," y/n forced a grin of her face and traded a look with Harry. It stated: "Help us." Though the twins couldn't assistance each other. 

"storm due tonight," said Uncle Vernon merrily."What's more, this kind mans offered to lend us his boat!" He motioned to a toothless elderly man who came sauntering up to them, pointing towards an old paddling boat bobbing in dim waters beneath them, he embellished a rather wicked grin.

"I've just got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!" 

The chilliness on the vessel was piercing as frosty oceans shower and downpour crawled down their necks and a cold wind nipped at their faces. After what felt like hours, they, at last, made it to the barren stone. Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, drove the path into the wrecked house with just two rooms. y/n had held Harry's hand as far as possible, not just for additional help on the stone's dangerous surface but she certainly required that consolation at present. This was nuts. 

Uncle Vernon's rations ended up being a bag of crisps each and 4 bananas. He attempted to start a fire but the empty bags just smoked and withered. 

As night fell, the storm blew about them and it wailed on the grimy windows. Aunt Petunia had discovered a couple of mildew covered sheets in the subsequent room and made Dudley a bed on the moth-eaten couch. She and Vernon went off on a lumpy bed and the twins were left to find the softest piece of the floor they could. They had to share the thinnest and most worn-out cover. It barely covered one of them.

The twins couldn't sleep later in the night. It was hard to get settled, their stomachs roared in hunger and it was extremely chilly, regardless of how much they huddled together for warmth. Harry continued peering at his sister behind him like it was an instinct, checking she was still there. 

"It'll be our birthday in eleven-ten minutes." y/n murmured, looking at her stolen watch. "Sorry Harry, I didn't get you a present this year. I'll make it up to you, I can take a few desserts from Dudley if you want?" 

"it's fine, I didn't get you one either," Harry admitted, however, he realized his sister would understand. They never had the cash in any case. Earlier years, they had settled with any presents they could discover. One year, y/n had given Harry a frankfurter from Greggs, which Harry later discovered she brought with a pound shed found on the floor. It was thoughtful and Harry wished he found something better than an old pair of socks. It didn't make a difference, either way, because they had celebrated their birthdays together. Nobody else would, so it was comforting he had her. "I swear, one day, I'll get you the best birthday present you could ever have."

"Not if I get you one first," y/n joked, the twins chuckled miserably before y/n looked back at her watch, frowning. "One minute to go until we're 11." 

"Mabey we should wake Dudley up just to bother him?" Harry recommended. 

"No. He'll thrash you again, I don't need that," she stated, looking back at her watch. It was midnight. 

Her lips pulled up in a smile. "happy Birthday Harry." 

"Happy Birthday, y/n- " 

BOOM 

The entire shack shuddered and the twins sat upstanding, gazing at the entryway before looking at one another wildly. Somebody was outside, knocking to come in.


	3. were visited by a giant

BOOM. They knocked once more. Dudley jerked awake. 

"Where's the cannon?" he asked like an idiot. 

There was a crash behind them as Uncle Vernon came shuffling into the room, equipped with a rifle in his grasp. y/n realized the long flimsy bundle he brought with him had been holding a gun but she didn't think he'd actually use it.

"Who's there?" he yelled. "I warn you - I'm armed!" 

There was a pause. then - SMASH! 

The entryway swung right off its hinges from the beast's power and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor. y/n stressed herself to act courageously however the man in the doorway made her shuffle closer to her brother meekly. 

He was a mammoth of a man with a face totally covered up by a long, unkempt beard and you could faintly make out his eyes, shining like dark bugs under all the hair. 

He squeezed his way into the hut, slouching so his head barely touched the roof. He bent  
down, picked up the door, and adjusted back into its frame, blocking out some of the furious roars of  
the storm outside a little. He turned to look at them all

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."

He walked over to the couch where Dudley was sat, paralyzed with fear. 

"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger, making Dudley squeak and run and hide behind his mom. Who was hiding behind uncle Vernon, just as scared as Dudley. y/n felt a wave of bravery wash over her as she cautiously stood up, and addressed the man. "as much as id love to make you a cup...we don't really have any teabags right now. Um...Sorry." The young lady tried to be as polite as possible due to the circumstances, the monster didn't appear as though he had bad intentions. later she was happy to know she was right.

"Ah! An' here's y/n and Harry!" said the Goliath, his savage shadowy face and insect-like eyes crinkled in a grin. "Las' time I saw you two, you were just babies. 'Arry looks a ton yet father, but yeh have yer mum's eyes. Meanwhile y/n yeh looks ar' all over the place but yeh got yer mum's eyes, just like yeh brothur.

Uncle Vernon made a strange scoffing noise, which y/n found rather rude.

I demand you leave at once, sir!" he said. "Your breaking and entering!" 

"Oh quiet, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant. He reached to over the back of the couch and snatched the weapon out of Uncle Vernon's grip, twisting it into a knot as if it were playdough, and tossed it into a side of the room. Uncle Vernon squeaked, an impossible to miss sound y/n had never heard from him.

"Anyway - Harry, y/n," said the giant, turning his backs on the Dursleys. "A very happy birthday ta tha both ah yeh. Got summat fer yeh here - mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste alright." From inside his giant dark jacket, he pulls out a partially crushed box. The twins nervously open it but all the fear disappeared at the sight of a large cake covered in pink frosting with 'happy birthday harry and y/n' written on it in green icing. it was clearly homemade with the frosting smeared on and the lettering all crooked but y/n was happy all the same to get her first-ever birthday cake.

"thank you," I said as we both looked up at the mysterious man at the same time harry asked, "who are you?" I quickly nudged him with my elbow hoping hed realize he was being rude.

the giant chuckled at harry brash question

"suppose I haven't introduced myself, Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts," he said holding out a gargantuan hand to shake. the twins accepted and his hand swallowed both their arms whole in the gesture. "Course, you'll know all about Hogwarts."

y/n and Harry shared a look as y/n looked back up at hagrid abashedly "sorry I can't say we do"

Hagrid was speechless.

"Sorry." harry tacked on quickly.

"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to glare at the Dursley's who sulked even further into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou'  
Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learnt it all?"

"learned all what?" harry questioned, 

"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid boomed "now wait jus' a second!" he lept to his feet practically charging at the Dursleys who were cowering against the wall "do you mean ter tell me," he growled, "that these twins- know nothin'- about ANYTHING?"

y/n was a bit taken back by that sure they weren't geniuses but they weren't stupid either and she certainly wasn't going to let that be assumed.

"We know lots of things," she said determined to prove she wasn't dull "we do well in maths, English and most of our other subjects dut we don't know about the 'anything' you're talking about"

"are yer sure? yah know nothing about it, your world, my world, yer parents world." said hagrid

"are parents? we don't know anything about them" y/n said dismissively

"what world?"

hagrid looked like he was about to explode

"DURSLEY!" he boomed

uncle Vernon had gone as pale as a piece of paper, whispered something y/n could only make out as "mimblewimble" hagrid stared flabbergasted at the twins while running his large fingers through his hair "so yeh don't know...yeh don't know what yeh are?" his bewildered gaze was fixed on the twins.

but at the last second uncle Vernon found his voice.

"Stop!" he commanded "stop right this instant! I forbid you to tell them anything"

y/n would have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious she had never seen uncle Vernon look so scared. hagrid's voice trembled with rage in every syllable "you never told them? never said anything, you kept it from them all these years"

"what is it hagrid, tell us!" y/n pleaded eagerly to know what the Dursleys were hiding

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" screeched Uncle Vernon in panic.

"ah sod off, both ah yeh," said hagrid "harry yer a wizard-and y/n yer a witch"

there was a heavy silence, only the sea and storm could be heard.

"i-were a what?" gasped harry glimpsing at his sister

"a wizard and witch o' course," said hagrid "an' thumping good'uns id say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. with a mum an dad like yours, what else would yeh two be?? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."

harry took the twins letters at last address to them in the same way as the last hundred. he pulled out the letter and his sister quickly read it from over his shoulder. from her skimming she could make out: you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term begins on 1 September. 

it was just then y/n realized the 'anything' hagrid was talking about couldn't be taught in an ordinary school. she was so busy reading she hardly noticed harry asking a question. she snapped out of her reading trance after hearing scribbling, which came from hagrid writing a note with a quill and parchment. and then let out a surprised squeak at the sight of a living breathing owl, who then proceeded to clamp its beak down on the note flying out the window into the storm. he then sat down on the old dusty sofa as if this was a normal occurrence, then again Hagrid wasn't really what you would call 'normal'.

"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon burst into the conversation, looking furious. 

"They're not going," he said. 

Hagrid grunted. "I'd like ter see a great Muggle like yer self stop them."

"A what?" asked y/n, eager to learn more about anything the Dursleys may have hidden from them "What the heck is a Muggle?"

"A Muggle," said Hagrid. "It's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you two grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."

"We swore when we took them in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of them! Wizard and Witch, indeed!"

"YOU KNEW?" The twins said simultaneously sending death glares in their direction. Now that y/n had thought it over this was it, this was the secret they had been so desperate to keep from them.

"Of course we knew. How could you not be? My perfect sister being who she was. Oh, my mother and father were so proud the day she got her letter. 'We have a witch in the family. Isn't it wonderful?' I was the only one to see her for what she was. A freak! And then she met that Potter, and then she had you, and I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as ... abnormal. And then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up! And we got landed with you." aunt Petunia stopped and finally drew a long breath as if she had been wanting to say all this for years.

y/n's blood began to boil, she felt hot with anger. Harry found his voice for his twin, who  
was spluttering noises in outrage, "blown up? You said they died in a car crash!"

"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so furiously the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry and y/n Potter not knowin' their own story when every kid in our world dose!"

"But why? What happened?" y/n asked urgently. Anger quickly faded from Hagrid's face and he now looked anxious. 

"I never expected this," he said, voice low and worried. "I had no idea when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh two didn't know. Ah, Harry, y/n I don't know if I'm the right person ter yell yeh - but someones gotta - yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."

"Well, its best yeh as much as I can tell yeh - mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it..." After tossing a dirty look to the Dursleys he plopped down and gazed into the fire for a couple of moments and afterward "It begins, I suppose, with - with a person called - but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows -"

"Who?"

"Yeah, who?"

"Well - don't like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."

"Why not?"

"well that's a load of rubbish I say, its just a name." y/n stated and Hagrid gave a dry laugh.

"Gulpin' gargoyles, y/n yeh got quite a head-on yer shoulders. Yeah, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was..." Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.

"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.

"Nah - can't spell it. All right - Voldemort," Hagrid shuddered.

"Don't make me say it again, anyway, this-this wizard, about 20 years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em too - some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with stranger wizards or witches... Terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him - an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway."

"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head Boy an' Girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... Probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side."

"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is,  
he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Hallowe'en ten years ago. You two were only a year  
old. He came ter yer house an' - an' -" Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted, handkerchief and blew his nose which sounded like a foghorn. 

"Sorry," he said. "But it's sad - knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find - anyway - "  
"You-know-who killed 'em. An' then - an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing - he tried to kill both of you,  
too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin', by then. But he couldn't do  
it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead and mark on yer neck? That was no ordinary  
cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh - took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer  
house, even - but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous. No one ever lived after he decided ter  
kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age - the McKinnons,  
the Bones, the Prewetts - an' you two were only babies, an' you both lived."

Something painful ached in y/n's mind as Hagrid's story came a bit too close. She saw the blinding green flash of light, much more clearly than when she first remembered but now it was accompanied by a high, cold and cruel laugh. Looking over to Harry, she knew he was thinking the same thing and she felt her heart sink. 

Hagrid watched them solemnly. "Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot..." y/n couldn't help but smile kindly towards Hagrid, no one other than Harry had ever treated her so kindly.

"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon and as he opened his mouth the touching moment was ruined. she ignored his whining and merely had a fleeting moment of irritation with Harry as they exchanged annoyed looks.

Thankfully, Hagrid had leaped from the sofa and drew his battered pink umbrella like a sword from his coat and pointed it at Uncle Vernon like a sword. He growled, "I 'm warning you, Dursley - one more word..." 

In fear of being speared by the end of an old crooked umbrella, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again and fell silent as he flattened himself against the wall again

."That's better," hagrid said sitting down on the couch which drooped as far as possible onto the floor. Harry, meanwhile, still had hundreds of questions to ask. His twin, however, was starting to remember she hadn't slept at all and felt exhaustion hit her like a bus. She was having a bit of a hard time soaking it all in.

"But what happened to Vol- sorry - I mean You-Know-Who?"

"Good question, Harry. Disappeared -" And like that, y/n had fallen asleep on Harry's shoulder. That was all she needed to know, well that' what she thought. She was a Witch, explaining all the strange things that happened to her and Voldemort, the man who had killed her parents, was still out there

Hagrid stopped talking once he noticed y/n had fallen asleep, "ah, is y/n all 'ight?"

"Don't worry, I'll tell her everything in the morning, she doesn't work well without sleep. Please, continue,"

Harry assured Hagrid, watching as the giant chuckled before he took off his giant coat and threw it at Harry. 

"You two can kip under that, she must be bloody tired to sleep while standing up," Hagrid said before he scratched his temple with a finger. "Now - where was I? Ah, yeah, so-" Hagrid continued, and Harry couldn't help but sigh internally as y/n softly snored from under the blanket by his feet. Even if she was his twin, essentially his equal, he could never understand how'd she sleep so deeply.


	4. We meet an ass in diagon alley

y/n woke with a start as harry tried to shake her awake. She was in the middle of a rather pleasant dream and she would sleep forever if she could but harry quickly reminded her of their plans for today.

"Hey, y/n, we've got to go get our stuff for Hogwarts and wizard money at a wizard bank full of goblins," he said. "I've got our stuff, I'll explain on the way."

Oh yeah, she was a wizard, well... witch. She merely nodded and said cryptically, "ah, yes, wise words by wise men write wise deeds in wise pen."

"What?" Harry gave me a look.

"I read it somewhere."

A bit later after the girl had fully woken up, Harry and y/n followed Hagrid from outside the sad shack onto the rock. The sky had cleared quite a bit from the storm and the boat hired by Uncle Vernon was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom from the previous night's heavy rain.They settled down into the boat and with a leisurely pace towards the mainland, Harry explained all the

things y/n had missed while she was sleeping. He attempted to recite Hagrid's explanations to the best of his ability, explaining how wizards had different currency, a bank full of goblins, dragons, how they needed scrolls and books for Hogwarts, owls were the postmen, a wizarding newspaper with moving images and tons of other strange information. y/n took it rather well. Especially when they mentioned a whole nother government of wizards. She was hardly fazed, more impressed than surprised.

Harry also mentioned Hagrid had used magic on Dudley, growing him a pigtail and it was vital she couldn't mention it to anyone he performed magic. However, with the way she laughed so painfully hard she started crying, Harry assumed that he wouldn't even finish the story as he would go into a painful but joyous fit at the recollection of it. And man was her laughter contagious, Harry couldn't stop grinning and y/n seem to reflect the happiness like a mirror.

On the street, passer-bys stared at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. In all honesty, y/n couldn't blame them. Hagrid was an interesting figure, twice as tall as anyone else and he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, kids? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"

"Hagrid," said Harry, both of the twins panting to keep up. "Did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"

"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."

"You'd like one?" Harry was shocked but his twin meanwhile was nodding her agreement. "They must be pretty exciting to care off. Hagrid if you do get a dragon, can I help take care of them?"

"O' course y/n! Yeh just like me when I was a kid - I loved animals or sorts of shapes an' sizes. I'd gladly let yeh help the 'ittle fella if - ya know - I get one - here we go." They had reached the station and there was a train to London in five minutes time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave it both to the twins so they could pay for their tickets.

People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent. The twins sat either side of him. y/n was on Hagrid's right, also knitting but with noticeable difficulty and had to ask Hagrid every so often if she was doing it correctly. Knitting was hard but thankfully Hagrid was there to help.

y/n had already read the second piece of paper in the parchment envelope, containing all the things necessary for Hogwarts. One thing that made her heart swell more in excitement was she could also buy an animal for the school: a cat, owl or toad. She had never owned a pet before

And her heart nearly exploded at the fact she and Harry were going to London for the very first time, her excitement couldn't be contained.

They were going somewhere special. They had to be.

"I can't believe it, we're in London!" y/n jumped up and down like an excited toddler, twirling around Harry and shaking his arm intensely. Harry had to hold her for a few times so she wouldn't go off and do cartwheels in excitement and kick someone in the face on accident... She had done it before which earned her a night with no meals... She didn't regret it.

He merely replied dismissively, "I know. I know." Though Harry couldn't deny he was genuinely endeared seeing his twin so bright and cheerful for once.

y/n thought London was a wonderful place, gawking at all the sights to see and the crowds easily parted ways for Hagrid; all the twins had to do was stay close behind him. Nonetheless, Harry had to drag his sister by the wrist as she kept stopping to peer at the nearby shop's windows and the contents inside.

Harry swore she had a heart attack when she saw McDonald's, this earned a confused Hagrid. "Harry, why is  
y/n so excited o'ver a building? Anyway, what even is M - C 'onalds? Whose 'onald?"

After some more walking and enthusiastic y/n, Hagrid came to a halt in front of a grubby-looking and tiny pub. "This is it, the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

Hagrid quickly stirred the twins inside before any of them could mention its invisibility to the naked eye and for a famous place, y/n thought, it was dark and shabby. A few old women sat in a corner, drinking from tiny glasses of sherry, one smoking a large pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old barman, who was quite bald and looked like a gummy walnut. y/n couldn't help swallow hard as the low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in and reached hastily for Harry's hand. Luckily everyone seemed to know Hagrid, waving and smiling at him, and the barman reached for a glass, saying, "the usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on either twin's shoulder. y/n nearly died from the shock. Nearly.

"Good Lord," said the barman, peering at Harry and y/n, "is this - can this be -?"

The Leaky Cauldron had gone completely still and silent.

"Bless my soul," whispered the old barman. "it's the Potter Twins... what an  
honor..."

The man hurried out from behind the bar to rush towards the twins, seizing their hands with tears pricked in his eyes. "Welcome back, Ms. and Mr. Potter, welcome back." The twins couldn't help glance at each other as they didn't particularly know what to reply, so y/n nodded and smiled a somewhat shy smile. She was quick to notice how everyone was looking at them. Including the old woman with the pipe who puffed on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.

After a great scraping of chairs, y/n found herself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.  
She couldn't contain her broad smile on her face as she found the whole ordeal endearing. Her smile  
seemed to make the room just a little brighter as people reflected the look lovingly.

"Dois Crockford, Ms. and Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you two at last."

"So proud, Ms. and Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hands - I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted Mr. and Ms. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"We've seen you before! You bowed to us once in a shop!" Harry said excitedly as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in excitement. y/n politely picked it up and handed it to the man, who was practically sobbing tears of joy as the girl bowed back with a bell-like giggle

"No need to bow back! But I can't believe you remember me!" He cried, gazing around at everyone. "Do you hear that They remember me!" Harry and y/n shook hands again and again

"Nice to shake hands again Doris," y/n astutely remembered the man already shaking her hand with a joyous grin. Giggling as the man smiled and laughed bashfully. "My, Ms. Potter has an insightful memory. Extremely intelligent, yes!"

A pale young man made his way forward nervously, the girl quickly noticing his apprehensive movements and his twitching eye. Something about seemed oddly suspicious, just a tad.

"Professor Quirrell!" Said Hagrid. "Harry, y/n, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potters," he stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry and then y/n hand. "C-can't t-tell you how p-please I am to meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" Harry asked him.

"Yes, I'm rather curious as well, Sir." y/n followed up, smiling softly. "I'm sure we'll look forward to the subject doubtless." Her positive outlook nearly sent the room in chaos over her sweetness, melting the hearts of all with her mighty compassionate powers. But it was true, she looked forward to learning at a MAGIC school of all places. She'd knew she studied hard when she would be able to PERFORM MAGIC. The idea made her excited.

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered the Professor, as though he rather not think about. "Not that you n-need it, eh P-P-Potters?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the thought. 

It took around 10 minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the excited babble. "Must get on - lots ter buy. Come on, y/n, Harry."

Doris Crockford shook the girl's hand one last time, elicited a laugh from her as Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. y/n knew looks could be deceiving and knew there was something special about the place. And with how Hagrid grinned at the twins, she figured she was right.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you two were famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh - mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he usually that nervous?" Harry asked. y/n assumed it was something about vampires as he quivered at the concept of them and was immediately proven right by Hagrid who explained how he met vampires in the Black Forest. She shouldn't have been surprised vampires were real at this point but that merely brought into question what else was out there in the wizarding world. Fairies? Werewolves? Mermaids? She couldn't wait to meet all of them.

y/n followed Hagird's movements as he counted bricks on the wall with the tip of his umbrella, muttering under his breath. "Three up... two across. Right, stand back you two."

Tapping a specific brick three times, the brick touched quaked and wriggled and a small hole appeared - growing bigger and wider. Until a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, leading into a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said Hagrid. "To Diagon Alley."

y/n mirrored Hagrid's grin in, amazement shimmering in her eyes. She eagerly pulled Harry by the wrist into the archway, her delighted laughter akin to an eager child's. Eventually finding herself pulling Hagrid by the hand as well, her glee only doubled as Hagrid chuckled loudly. "Slow down y/n! Diagon Alley ain't goin' anywhere!"

Her eyes immediately became fixed on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. All size and shapes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self - Stirring - said a sign hanging over them.

She spun around in a circle, wishing she could grow new eyes or heads to look at everything as she admired everything in the alley. Especially when they were walking up the street, she kept pulling Harry in certain directions as she peered at the shops, the magic things outside them, the unique people doing shopping. EVERYTHING! She only tightened her grip on Harry's hand, mirroring his grin as they proceeded deeper into the street with pure excitement fueling them.

Low, soft hootings came from a dark shop with owls. Several boys pressed their noses against a window with broomsticks in it. There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments, windows stacked with all sorts of creatures organ, tottering spell books, quills, rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon... And finally...

"Gringotts," said Harry. He looked towards his twin, snorting as her jaw was practically on the floor, drool trickling from the corner of her mouth and stars swirled in her eyes.

"Harry... There's a Goblin standing by that door." y/n pointed out, eyes popping out her head. "I swear, I'm going to piss myself in excitement Harry. We've been saved from our boring lives."

"Um... Please, don't." Harry said. "I'm just as relieved to be away from the Dursleys but I think you need to tone it down a little bit."

"Harry, I can not stress this enough, magic. is. real."

"And so is insanity so er - let's calm down here," Harry told his twin who merely huffed as they walked up the stairs and through silver doors where hundreds of goblins sat on high stools and were busy at work. Scribbling on large ledgers, weighing coins on brass scales, examing precious stones through pristine eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall and even more, goblins showed people in and out of these. The three made for the counter.

"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry and Ms y/n  
Potter's safe."

"You have their key, sir?"

"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, as he began to empty his pockets onto the counter. Scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book number, earning the goblin to wrinkle his nose. y/n watched the goblin on his right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals. 

"Got it," Hagrid said, at last, holding up a tiny golden key. The Goblin looked at it closely. "That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The Goblin read the letter carefully. "Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid. "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

And after Hagrid crammed all the dog biscuits back into his pockets, he and the twins followed the goblin, Griphook, leading off to one of the doors in the hall. y/n wondered to herself what on earth vault seven hundred and thirteen was all about but somehow figured asking was out the question. She bet she would soon find out doubtless, but Harry asked anyway. Secret business as Hagrid called it and she was right.

The three, accompanied by the goblin, made way into a small railway system and on a small cart - they were off. Hurtling through a maze of winding passages which the girl couldn't get her head around, she at least appreciated how cold air rushed past her, feeling cool and tranquil on her face. She could have sworn she saw a great burst of fire - the dragon - and twisted around to see it, but they had already plunged deeper into the great labyrinth. 

Hagrid looked extremely green when the cart came to a stop beside a small door in a passage of the wall. y/n helped him out by the hand - with much difficulty - and somewhat fawned over him as he leaned against the wall to stop his knees from trembling.

Griphook unlocked the door and like the door was a drama queen, green smoke billowed out to declare it had been unsealed. y/n and Harry gasped at the sight inside. Mounds and mounds of gold coils, columns of silver and heaps of little bronze knuts. And it was all there's. 

"No way... NO WAY!"

The sensation was incredible - the Dursley's had always complained about how much the twins costed them and yet all this time they had been a small fortune belonging to them, buried deep under London. 

Hagrid helped Harry and y/n pile some of it into a bag, explaining how the gold coins were Galleons, the silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts. He then turned to Griphook, mentioning the notorious Vault Seven Hundred and thirteen again, the next destination.

Deeper and deeper they were going now, gathering speed. The air became cooler and cooler, as they hurtled around more corners. And finally arriving, Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.

"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. he stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away. "If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and be trapped in there."

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked. 

"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.

"Alright, got it. Never steal from Gringotts or perish." y/n huffed and shook her head, breathing a bit stiffly. 

She assumed something particularly extraordinary would be inside this top security vault. The twins both leaned forward eagerly, expected to see fabulous jewels or countless treasures - except there was only a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid momentarily picked it up and the thought flashed again through the girl's mind. Looks can be deceiving

One wild cart ride letter, y/n relished in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry wasn't sure where to run to first now that he and his twin had a bag full of money but his twin didn't seem as conflicted as he did. This somewhat confused him because they had never had this much money in their lives but he guessed she didn't mind as much. And considering her carefree and tranquil smile, he was probably right.

"Might as well get yer uniforms," said Hagrid, nodding towards a shop named Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, y/n, would ye mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts cars." Hagrid did appear a bit sicks so (Name) happily agreed and entered the store with her brother. Albeit a bit nervous. 

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. 

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said when Harry began to speak. "Got the lot here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact. Unfortunately, we've been having some problems with our employees at the moment so one of you will have to wait briefly as we do the other's robe. If that is quite alright?" She smiled apologetically.

"Oh, it's fine, I'll wait. y/n you can go first I don't mind." Harry shrugged and after a smile and thanks, the girl was fleetingly split from her brother as he dawdled in the waiting area and she was ushered into the back of the shop. There, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a witch pinned up his long black robes. y/n was guided by Malkin on a stool next to him and she slipped a long robe her head before she began to pin it to the right length.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

The girl blinked owlishly before replying a quick, "yes." She honestly hadn't expected the boy to talk to her.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy, voice bored and drawling. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully my father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

(Name) had to do a double-take on this guy - furrowing her brow. Was...was he being serious? "B-bully?"

"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on, completely ignoring y/n stammers. 

"No, but -" the girl said but was hastily interrupted before she could say something. 

"Play Quidditch at all?" 

"No." She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. She assumed Quidditch was some sort of game but she had no idea how brooms play into it.

"I do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what  
house you'll be in yet?" 

"No." y/n said again, becoming increasingly frustrated by his nonchalance mabey she was just igronent but she really didn't like his tone. 

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave wouldn't you?"

"That's a bit conceited. I'm sure Hufflepuff would be a splendid house to be a part of," y/n said openly."As you said, your entire family have been in Slytherin so how would you know?" 

The boy sneered at her words. "I suppose so but what does it matter? I was just giving my well-rounded opinion over the topic, no need to be offended."

"So your opinion is pointless?" y/n quipped back, watching in mild amusement as the boy's pale features lit up with an embarrassed red. She couldn't help but smile.

"What would you know! It's your first year as well!" He snapped, closing his eyes in a vexed manner and huffed. He suddenly nodded towards the front window. "I say look at that man!"

Hagrid was standing there, grinning at y/n and pointing at three large ice creams to show he couldn't come in. "Oh that's Hagrid he's really sweet. He works at Hogwarts as a gamekeeper." y/n smiled, cheerfully waving at the giant.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed." The boy said and y/n couldn't believe what was she was hearing.

"excuse me?" she said.

"Do I need to repeat myself? I said I heard he's-" The boy continued but never managed to finish his sentence. 

"No I heard you loud and clear," y/n said ferociously. And the boy could feel her glare prickle on the back of his neck. "I'm wondering is how could you believe such petty and shallow rumors about him. Have you ever met Hagrid?"

"Well - no but-!" The boy began but y/n hastily concluded the discussion. 

"That's all I needed to hear. Now shut up, you're awfully boring." 

Those simple words were the only thing needed for Draco to press his lips tightly together and his cheeks burn hotly. He was surprised at himself at how easily a common girl could make him quieten so easily. And just when he was about to pull out his trump card ("my father will hear about this!"); Madam Malkin had done the final adjustments on y/n new robe.

"Your done, my dear. Thank you for being so patient, now could you please get your brother."

"It would be my pleasure Madam Malkin." y/n smiled softly to the old woman, melting her heart at simple perk of her lips. "Just one, last, thing."

Hopping down from the stool, the girl turned to Draco's direction and sent one last comment to the pretentious Malfoy before strutting out the doors like a true Queen into Hagrid's loving arms, metaphorically at least.

"You should stop telling yourself a story when there is no grand narrative. It's just tedious. Anyway, see you at Hogwarts." 

Draco couldn't stop looking at her as she left. 

Soon after the twins had gotten their robes and Hagrid explained to the twins what Hogwarts Houses and quidditch were - a rather bit biased to Slytherin's house and insinuating it was all evil. The three continued onwards with their outings, buying numerous spell books bound in leather (pure heaven for y/n).

Hagrid had to convince the twins not to but a solid golden cauldron each, but instead a common pewter one and a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. They brought spell ingredients from the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to ignore the repugnant smells and y/n was both horrified and enchanted by silver unicorn horns they were selling for twentyone Galleons each.

"Just yeh wands left - yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh two a birthday present."

"Really Hagrid you don't have to - " y/n started.

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at - an I don't like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yeh both owls. All the kids want owls, blood useful, carry yer mail an' everything."

Twenty minutes later, the twins left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of flickering jewel-bright eyes. Harry carried a beautiful snowy owl named Hedwig while y/n held a gorgeous Barn Owl named Bathilda, after the author of Hogwarts a history, a favorite of hers.

The two were stammering more than Professor Quirrell to express their thanks.

"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta present from the Dursleys. Maybe between each other but definitely not them. Just Ollivander left now - only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

A wand... Now y/n had been looking forward to this.

Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C, said the golden letters of the door but it was nothing compared to inside. It was a tiny place, and it was as if the twins had entered an astute library. Thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling and it felt as if the very dust and silence in there seemed to tingle with secret magic. y/n had goosebumps

It sure was an eventful visit, leaving the twins rather apprehensive about whether they liked Ollivander or not. He seemed like an eccentric fellow but maybe a bit too passionate about his profession, he barely blinked and his silver eyes were certainly creepy but it seemed a tad bit off he remembered every wand he sold. Recalling the exact wands he had sold to the twin's father and mother, but not only that, he dared to touch the scars left by Voldemort on either of the twins. y/n especially did not appreciate that he didn't seem to understand personal boundaries and it was somewhat uncomfortable. 

One interesting thing he did nevertheless was mention Hagrid's wand, snapped in half after expulsion which only piqued questions about how Hagrid was expelled. y/n didn't want to pry so she didn't ask but she assumed she would eventually found out in the future. She did notice how Hagrid gripped his pink umbrella tightly - the pieces must have been in there then.

The strange man went on a monologue, explaining the importance of wands to its core, length, weight etc. and the twins tried and tried with multiple wands. The wands choose the wizard, apparently and you could never get good results with another wizard's wand.

Finally, the twins managed to acquire the perfect wand. (Name) was an alder wand, phoenix feather, ten inches, supple, flexible and had wonderful carvings etched into the side and a smooth garnet at the end. Harry's was different but it still had a phoenix feather as the core. Each of the feathers - strangely enough - were brothers to the very wand that gave them their scars. 

Voldemort's wand.

Paying each seven galleons for their wands, Mr. Ollivander ushered them from his shop. Good riddance, y/n thought. She never wanted to step foot in their again, as magical and alluring as it may have been at first

Before the twins knew it, they were at Paddington station and Hagrid bought the twins burgers, which they ate while sitting on plastic chairs. y/n couldn't stop gazing around. Everything seemed so much different now.

"Yeh alright, yeh two? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.

y/n sighed. She and her brother had just had the best birthday in their lives and yet... It also was the most exhausting.

"Hagrid, I can't speak for Harry but I'm a bit overwhelmed. Everyone thinks we're so special, all those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander... And yet, we don't know anything about magic at all. We're famous but we don't even know-how and... it's kinda intimidating with all these people expecting such great things." y/n bit into her burger, at least food could comfort her.

"It's exactly that, Hagrid. How can they expect great things? We don't even know what happened when Vol-, sorry - I mean, the night out parents died."

Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind his wild beard and eyebrows, he wore a kind smile.

"Don't you worry, y/n, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be fine. Just be yerself. I know its hard, yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts - I did - still do, 'smatter of fact."

y/n's smile was so broad it hurt her cheeks and tears silently flowed down her face. In an instant, she lept to her feet and crashed into Hagrid torso and wrapped her arms around him the best she could and squeezed tight in the embrace, burying her nose into his stomach. The smell of ash and the forest were comforting, even more so when Hagrid chuckled, and patted her head. Hagrid, even though she hadn't known him that long, was the closest thing she had to a dad.

Later, Hagrid helped Harry and y/n on the train that would take them back to the Dursley's, then, he handed the twins an envelope.

"Yer tickets fer Hogwarts," he said. "First o' September - King's Cross - It's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, they'll know where to find me... See yeh soon, Harry, y/n."

The train pulled out of the station. The twins rose in their seat, wanting to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight, but they blinked and Hagrid had gone. Harry grabbed his sister's hand, letting her sleep on his shoulder for the quiet ride back to the Dursleys.


	5. I run into a brick wall

The twin's last month with the Dursley's wasn't fun at all. Dudley was petrified of the twins - refusing to stay in the same room. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut them in the cupboard, force them to do anything, or shout at them - in fact, they didn't speak to the twins at all. y/n knew they were equally as terrified of her and Harry and they acted as though the seats the twin occupied were empty. Treated like ghosts, it was an improvement in many ways but over time it did become a bit depressing.

Nevertheless, the twin kept to their room, with their owls as a new company. and as y/n came to learn Bathilda - on her nightly outings - brought back little trinkets and gifts back to her owner. The little items she brought back weren't drop dead gorgeous but certainly interesting: a big red button, a broken pen, a 5p coin, (somehow) a golden tooth, a key, a dirty and broken medal, and other mismatched things. All these little treasures were endearing to y/n. (Meanwhile, Harry, to his dismay, was only brought back dead mice from Hedwig.)

The school books were certainly interesting. y/n and Harry would lay on their bed late into the night and read with one together. while the owls swooped in and out of the open window as they pleased.

Every night before either of them went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper the twins had pinned to the wall, counting down to Septemeber the first. The twins could hardly wait, especially (Name) who had already finished reading 5 out of the 8 wizarding textbooks, currently finishing the remaining three.

On the last day of August, the female twin suggested they better speak to their aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross Station the next day, so the twins - hand in hand for reassurance - went down to the living room where their rotten family watched a quiz show on television. Harry cleared his throat and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.

"Er - Uncle Vernon?" Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.

"We need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to - to go to Hogwarts."

Uncle Vernon grunted again

"Would it be all right if you gave us a lift?"

Grunt. They supposed that meant yes.

"Thank you." They said in unison, y/n's grip tightening on Harry's hand in joy. Harry poker-face briefly faltered

The two were about to go back upstairs to rejoice when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.

"Funny way to get to wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"

y/n and Harry didn't say anything

"Where is this school, anyway?"

"...We don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time and he glanced at y/n, and he was shocked as her expression said the exact same thing. Usually, his sister knew everything and was a few steps ahead of Harry logic-wise, but it seemed as if the excitement of going had clouded her mind. She pulled the tickets Hagrid had given them out of her pockets and read it out loud, brows furrowing.

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

"It's on our ticket."

"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You two just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."

y/n knew it was because of Dudley's pigtail (to match his piggish appetite) and before Harry could ask, she pulled him by the wrist, muttering a half-assed "thanks" before the two-headed upstairs. 

No more questions asked. 

Harry looked very confused, following the movements of his twin as she went up to the desk where Bathilda had left more knickknacks - a severed head of a teddy bear bleeding stuffing and a Cat ID tag which read Humphrey. She wasn't in her cage so she was probably collecting more.

"y/n... are you okay? What's wrong?"

y/n looked like she was about to say something, but she merely shook her head and forced a smile.

"No... It doesn't matter. I'll tell you tomorrow. Let's just go to bed, its a big day tomorrow, we're going to Hogwarts. Isn't that exciting?!" y/n twirled in faux excitement and squealed happily before collapsing against the bed. Harry wasn't fully convinced but she was right, Hogwarts was tomorrow and so, they hastily went to bed for the early morning ahead of them.

And damn, was it early.

"y/n... Wake up. I know you hate the mornings but Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon won't wait for us if we're late." Harry prodded at his sister's side, who grumbled into her pillow.

"Nooooo..." she sleepily mumbled into her pillow and Harry groaned, facepalming. Harry was ready to leave, he had woken up at 5 o'clock and was too nervous and excited to go back to sleep so he had packed, checked his Hogwart's list twice, and made sure he had everything he needed. He was nice enough to also pack y/n's belongings, seeing as he had nothing else to do, and let his twin sleep soundly for another hour. He also packed some of her muggle books (when did he start saying muggle?) regarding how much she enjoyed them. The owls were shut safely in their cages; Bathilda had made a beautiful nest with all her trinkets and Hedwig was... well  
Hedwig.

Now the only thing left to do...

Was wake the Beast.

"y/n, get up, we have an hour left." Harry prodded again, rougher this time and earned another groan. Resorting to his last efforts, he yanked the duvet off, and with one big kick, y/n tumbled to the floor with a thud. "That'll wake her up... how are you still sleeping?!"

"You underestimate me, brother" y/n yawned, sitting up and rubbing her sleepy eyes. "I've only been awakened by the cold. You did nothing in your endeavors."

"Get up. I'm serious. Jeez, you'd be nothing without me." Harry chided, throwing his sister clothes onto her face. Thus, after one sluggish and a sleepy hour later, for y/n at least, the twin's trunks were loaded into the Dursleys' car and they set off.

Reaching at King's Cross at half-past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped their trunks onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for them. y/n saw the evil look in his eye and nasty grin. This is what she wanted to warn Harry about last night.

There really was no platform nine and three-quarters.

"Well, there you are, you two. Platform nine and platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they? Have a good term." Said Uncle Vernon, he left without another word. y/n watched as the Dursleys' drove away, all of them were laughing.

"Pricks," she muttered under her breath before turning to Harry. "This is what I was trying to tell you yesterday night, a bit late now though... Sorry... I'm an idiot, trying to hold out hope, I suppose."

"No, it's alright. Not much we can do now though but panic."

"Wow, all my worries rushed away, thanks."

And indeed, the twins were trying to not panic. After wandering around and feeling incredibly stupid. They now had ten minutes left until the boarding of Hogwarts but they had no idea where to board. Stranded with trunks they could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and two large, owls.

"Harry, we've been saved," y/n started out the blue and Harry glanced at her. His twin motioned towards a hustle of people passing by and the twins caught a few words of what they were saying. She was practically crying tears of joy.

" - packed with Muggles, of course - "

The twins swung around and they practically dragged each other toward the speaker. She happened to be a plump woman, talking with four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them pushing a trunk like the Potter twins in front of them - and had an owl.

Eagerly and heart hammering, the two siblings pushed their carts after them. They stopped and so did the twins, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boy's mother.

"Nine and three - quarters," piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mum, can't I go..."

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

What appeared to the oldest boy marched towards the notorious platform and the twins refused to blink in case they missed it. To their luck, a large crowd of tourists swarmed in front of them and by the time the last backpack cleared away, the boy had vanished.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. y/n's eyes flashed in recognition, TWINS.

"Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up and a second later, he had gone... Through the wall.

"Excuse me," y/n said, dragging Harry and her cart to the plump woman.

"Hello dears," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." Pointing at the last and youngest of her sons; Ron - supposedly - was tall, thin and gangling with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

"Yeah, well the thing is... we don't know how to get onto the platform. Could you please help us?" y/n said desperately, she was still fuddled on how to walk through a barrier. A SOLID barrier.

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Okay..." y/n mumbled out, sharing a nervous look with Harry. A stranger just told me to run headfirst into a wall; my day just went from okay to great.

y/n glared at the large brick wall. It looked pretty solid to her. Welp here goes nothing.

Slowly, she began to walk toward it and as she was jostled around by people on their way to platform nine and ten, she began to walk quicker. Breaking into a heavy run, her throat seemed to have a lump in her throat. She was going to crash... Or not.

"Huh... That was easier than I thought." She stared at her new surroundings, marveling at the bright scarlet steam engine with a platform packed with people. A sign over it read The Hogwarts Express. Harry quickly joined her on the endeavors of admiring their surroundings and unique by her side. They had actually done it. They were going to Hogwarts.

y/n and Harry noted how the first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out windows to talk to their families and some fighting over seats.

They pressed forward until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. The twins put the owls in first and then helped each other heave their trunks toward the train door. But it was no use, their noodle arms couldn't lift up the trunks on the steps and Harry had dropped it twice on his foot, y/n triple.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins they'd followed through the barrier.

"please?" y/n asked trying not to collapse under the weight of the trunk, She heard Harry drop his trunk. "Seriously though, please help us, our suitcases way a tonne."

"No probs, I like your style." The twin finger gunned at me and chuckled before calling for his brother. "Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" With the twin's help, Harry and y/n trunks were at last tucked away in the corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out his eyes.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar and then to y/n on her neck.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you two - ?"

"They are," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" He added to y/n and Harry.

"The Potter Twins?" y/n chorused after them. "Yeah were they, I'm y/n and this is my twin, Harry."

"Um... Hello." The two boys gawked at them and y/n sheepishly waved, somewhat unsure to do with this newfound attention. Both of the red-haired twins waved back, smiling slightly. Harry was blushing a beet red and y/n tried not to follow her brother example. Then, to mainly Harry's relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mom." With a last look at the Potters, the twins hopped off the train.

The Potter twins sat down next to the window and y/n couldn't help but overhear what the red-haired family on the platform was saying, Harry following her close behind, half-hidden by the window. Watching as the mother took out her handkerchief. "Ron, you've got something on your nose."

The youngest boy tried to jerk out the way but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mum - geroff!" He wiggled free. y/n felt her heart twang like a rubber band - not particularly knowing  
why.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins, making y/n smile but heart  
also ache strangely.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now." The oldest boy came striding into sight, already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes and y/n noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it. y/n watched the interaction further, smiling into her hand as the twins teased their brothers, Ron and Percy, and their mother unintentionally suggested an inappropriate but fun idea to the supposable pranksters Fred and George.

"Hey mum, guess what?" Guess who we just met on the train?" y/n would've watched onwards if Harry hadn't grabbed her and leaned back so they couldn't see them looking.

"What? - Harry!" y/n grumbled but Harry merely put a finger to his lips and shushed her. The girl huffed and merely stayed tuned into the conversation.

"You know those 1st years we met near the station? Know who they are?"

"Who?"

"The Potter twins! y/n and Harry Potter!"

y/n heard the little girl's voice. "Oh, mum, can I go on the train and seen them, mum, please..."

"You've already seen them, Ginny, and the poor children aren't something you ogle at in a zoo. Are they  
really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked them. Saw their scars. It's really there - like lightning."

"Poor dears - no wonder they were alone, I wondered. They were ever so polite when they asked to get onto the platform. I can only imagine what they've been through..."

"Never mind that, do you think they remember what You-Know-Who looks like?" And at that their mother became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask them, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though they need reminding of that on their first day at school."

"All right, keep your hair on."

A whistled sounded.

"Hurry up!" Their mother said and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."

"George!"

"Only joking, mum." The train began to move. y/n saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.

Houses flashed past the window, Harry and y/n felt a great leap of excitement, gazing each other with high spirits and grins so broad it hurt their faces. Wherever they were going was much better than what they'd been.

Suddenly the door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy, Ron, came in.

"Anyone sitting here?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry and y/n. "Everywhere else is full." The twins shook their heads and the boy sat down. y/n noticed him glance at them before looking quickly out the window, ah yes, the scars.

"Hey, Ron." The twins were back. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry, y/n," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley at your service. And, this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."

"Goodbye, it was nice meeting you." y/n smiled while Harry and Ron also said their goodbyes.

"So... Are you really y/n and Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out. The twins nodded.

"Oh - well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got - you know... scars," He pointed at Harry's forehead and y/n's neck.

"Oh, yeah, pretty cool right?" y/n said, turning her head and jutting out the side of her neck where her scar branched out down the side of her jugular and Harry brushed his bangs back. Ron stared. "Wicked."

Ron and the Potter twins talked for a while, about the scar and how Ron's was from a family of wizards - a brother out of 7 siblings; the twins talked about their muggle "family" and they how they were particularly horrible and at one point Ron brought out an old grey rat from inside his jacket, which was fast asleep. y/n thought, for a rat, it looked particularly hideous. Scabbers, the perfect name for the ugly thing. However, Ron accidentally slipped out how they couldn't afford an owl so he got a hand me down rat instead.

The twins thought there was nothing wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, they'd had never had any money in their life until a month ago and they told Ron so - about wearing Dudley's secondhand and never getting proper birthday presents except each other. This seemed to cheer Ron up. At one point, both y/n and Harry nonchalantly said You-Know-Who's name and briefly shocked Ron, but they weren't attempting to brave or anything. While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep, and they were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. y/n would've picked up a book but she wanted to truly savor the moment. She was finally away from the Dursleys and still was with Harry. It was all she could ask for.

Around half-past twelve, there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

The twins were up on their feet, neither of them hadn't had any breakfast but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. y/n noticed this and pressed her lips tightly together, swearing to herself she'd get him something, free of charge. The twins went out into the corridor.

Never having the money for candy with the Dursleys but now pockets heavy with gold and silver, they were ready to buy as many sweets as possible. y/n eyes sparkled and her stomach rumbled at all the wizarding sweets, all strange things she had never seen in their lives and - not wanting to miss anything - they got the lot and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze knuts.

The twins brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry are you?"

"Starving," said Harry and y/n simultaneously, biting into a pumpkin pasty, one for each of them. It was bloody delicious.

Ron took out a lumpy package and unwrapped it - four sandwiches were inside. He pulled one of themapart and scowled, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

"Then how about a pumpkin pastry instead," said y/n, holding up the aforementioned sweet with an equally sugary smile. "Really, we don't mind."

"Go on, have a pastry," said Harry. The twins never had anything to share before or anyone to share it with, besides each other. It was a pleasant feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all the twin's pasties, cakes, and candies. The sandwiches lay long forgotten.

"Chocolate frogs? They're not really frogs are they?" y/n questioned with an apprehensive look. "No," Ron chuckled. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

Thank God frogs are too cute to be eaten... wait, card? y/n rose a brow and unwrapped his chocolate frog and picked up the card underneath it. It showed a tall man with tousled brown hair, blue eyes and he was fitted with a blue coat; the image moved and he admired a small, green, twig-like creature that was curled on the end of his finger and mewled. y/n recalled it was a Bowtruckle she read in the actual man's book. Newt Scamander creator of the book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

y/n immediately started collecting the cards, already captivated after seeing Newt Scamander. Later that evening, the three had a good time, eating the Every Flavour Beans they brought. y/n got various: tissue, dog food, orange (thank god), vanilla and earwax. The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields were gone and now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

A knock on the door of their compartment awoke y/n from her daze as she was dreaming out the window and a round-faced boy came in, looking tearful. y/n felt the sudden urge to give him a hug, reminded of Harry when the two were younger and less emotionally stable crying-wise - they had always comforted each other it was practically natural instinct at this point.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

"Unfortunately no, but I'm sure he'll turn up. We'll keep an eye out okay?" The girl delicately answered him, and his quiet worrying seemed to lessen from her naturally soothing voice.

"Yes, thanks," he said miserably. "W-well, if you see him..." He hastily left soon after, still on the hunt for that poor toad.

y/n returned to gaze serenely out the window towards the feral countryside and back to admiring how the sun slowly began to descend over the horizon. That was until she heard the compartment door slide open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a cute girl with him - wearing her Hogwarts robes. Immediately, y/n was paying more attention.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, a head full of bushy and soft brown hair, and rather large front teeth. y/n couldn't help it, she was instantly drawn to the girl. Her mind was wrapped around the girl's finger with one thought - her cheeks turning pink in excitement.

Friend material.

"No, sorry but do you need help finding it? I'd be happy to help," y/n offered eagerly.

The girl shook her head, "no it's fine, but are you doing magic?" She looked intrigued at the wand Ron had in his hand, he must've brought it out. She didn't seem to notice y/n disappointed expression. "Let's see it, then."

After a rather pathetic spell from Ron, nothing happened.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said this all very fast. Harry and Ron were both stunned, they hadn't learned the course books, but y/n appeared the total opposite, grinning ear-to-ear. 

"You've learned all the course books? That's amazing!" y/n gushed before introducing herself and her brother. "I'm y/n Potter and this is my twin brother, Harry."

"I'm Ron, Ron Weasley," Ron muttered. Harry did a sheepish wave.

"Are you really?" said Hermione, her cheeks growing pink when she gazed at the girl. "I know all about you two, of course - I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"We are?" Harry said, feeling dazed. Meanwhile, y/n couldn't stop grinning.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

"Thanks for the heads up, it really was nice meeting you, Hermione. Neville, I hope you find your frog!" y/n cheered on supportively. The toadless boy blushed heavily while the bushy-haired girl gave her own salutations. And at that, she left, taking the boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron, throwing his wand back into his trunk. y/n glared in his direction, Hermione wasn't that bad. The red-haired boy didn't seem to notice her evil eye and the female twin puffed her cheeks up, looking away in annoyance. 

She listened half-heartedly as Ron spoke to Harry, gazing at the darkening scenery outside the window and the relaxing sensations all came flooding back to her. She nearly dozed off into a deep sleep when Ron talked about Quidditch with Harry until she heard the compartment door slid open yet again. Expecting to see Neville or Hermione again, y/n was surprised and displeased as she was proven wrong. Someone much worse

Three boys entered and she recognized the middle one immediately. The pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He looked at Harry with interest and y/n noticed how his ghost-like astonished and almost embarrassed expression after seeing her, but it was gone in an instant. 

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that the Potter twins are in this compartment. So it's you two, is it?"

"Yes," Harry replied, looking at his twin for solace but received an apathetic frown. She did not answer and merely stared disinterestedly at the pale boy and his lackeys on either side of him.

"Oh this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy after noticing the twins looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which hid a snicker. Draco glared at him. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

He turned back to the twins. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potters. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

y/n narrowed her eyes and before Harry could speak up, she answered for them. "No thank you, Draco, we'll be just fine on our own," she seethed his name through her teeth. "Until you become a decent person, we might just consider taking your advice."

"Yeah, I think we can tell who the wrong sort are for ourselves, thanks," Harry added coolly.

Draco didn't go red but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks and venom laced his voice.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potters," he said slowly. "Unless you're a little politer, you'll go the same way as your parents. And, you, care to enlighten me on how to be a decent person, I think it'd be rather amusing." He pointed at y/n, a smug smile curled on his lips. He was testing her, waiting for her to raise her voice, lose composure and make a fool out herself. 

But Draco had no idea who he was dealing with. He didn't learn from when he was in Diagon Alley and he was officially dead when y/n stood from her seat.

"Maybe you start with your hairline first, what, your 11 and its receding? Not only have you lost your hairline but your common decency; you're a racist, hate gingers and all houses except Slytherin 'cause it fits your appalling personality. And you're dumb enough to come all the way to the end of the train, to our compartment, and offer us advice? You should really get a hobby because I don't think pestering us counts as one. I can buy you a life off the trolley lady if you want; you need one." y/n finished crossing her arms over her chest. "Do you ever listen to the things that come out of your mouth?"

Now, if the rejection of Draco's insulting friendship made his cheeks pink, it was nothing compared to now. Draco's face was completely red including his ears and he was shaking on the spot.

"bloody hell," said Ron.

Crabbe and Goyle would have defended Draco but they didn't know what to say or do, y/n had brutally slaughtered him. Draco could only stammer angrily, "you!- You!-" Unsure of what to do, the two lackeys slowly ushered the steaming boy out the compartment. He glared furiously at y/n until she was out of his eye line and the three heard him exclaim in anger out in the corridors.

"About time he left." When y/n turned back to Ron and Harry, they looked visibly shaken. 

"I wish I could laugh but that was just brutal, even for Malfoy," Ron uttered before laughing in an exhale.

"Wait never mind, that was amazing!"

"Uh, y/n, remind me never to be on your bad side," Harry expressed and y/n merely chuckled, turning around and headed towards her trunk and took out her robes.

"Alright Harry, but I could never be mad at you. Ron, however, should be a bit more careful," y/n laughed as Ron's face visibly paled and shook her head dismissively. "I'm going to go to the toilet and change into my robes. I'll be right back."

And with that, she left into the corridor. In the back of her mind, she felt kinda bad for Draco but it was a fleeting thought. Nobody messes with her or her friends.

When the train slowed right down before it finally stopped, y/n was a bundle of nerves and had pockets crammed with the last of the sweets. People pushed their way toward the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. y/n shivered in the cold night air and grinned happily. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and the Potter twins heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Fir's years over here! All right there you two?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. "C'mon, follow me. Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." There was a loud, "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. The next bit happened in a magical blur: y/n was suddenly in a boat with Ron and Harry, gliding across the lake, into a dark tunnel, a secret harbor, and then up a flight of stone steps. Everyone was crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


	6. a hat segregates us

y/n's eyes widened as the door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there and her very stern face said this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid. Ah, so that's her name.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide and the entrance hall made y/n's jaw practically hit the floor; it could fit the Dursley's whole house in it. Stone walls lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out.

Immediately, the mysterious lady showed the first years into a small empty chamber off the hall. A drone of hundreds of voices came from a door on the right - y/n guessed all the other students had already arrived.

Professor McGonagall talked about the "Sorting Ceremony" which would take place in a few minutes and everyone started to smarten themselves in preparation. y/n patted down her hair the best she could and readjusted her robes, before doting over Harry and attempting to flatten his hair. Nope, that never worked, it just stuck out everywhere again, like normal.

y/n felt a bubble rise in her stomach, she wasn't sure if it was from excitement or nervousness? Most likely both as she was rather anticipating this moment for a while - McGonagall said there was a test and though she had no clue what it was going to be, she was ready.

The girl was also pleasantly surprised at the sudden appearance of ghosts, all delighted at the new huddle of students she was apart of. This was no surprise to the girl as she had read the textbooks from Diagon Alley, she knew all about them - yet at the sight of ghosts... Genuine ghosts... She couldn't help but gasp. Before long, Professor McGonagall returned and the stomach in the girl's bubble dilated. The ghost floated away one by one. This was it.

"Now, form a line," she told the first years, "and follow me."

y/n clutched Harry's hand behind him, Ron trailing behind her as they walked through the chamber  
and finally, through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

The Entrance Hall was nothing in comparison to the Great Hall, it was a strange and splendid place y/n could never imagine in her dreams. Thousands and thousands of candles floated in midair and over four long tables, the rest of the students were sitting. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. Hundreds of face stared, looking like lanterns in the flickering candlelight and the ghosts were dotted here and there.

y/n was a confident person, maybe a bit stubborn, but at the sight of so many peering, eyes made even her a tad bit nervous. Her grip on Harry's hand tightened and she looked upward to avoid the staring, only to see a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. The ceiling was open to the heavens. Looking down from the spectral sight of the ceiling, y/n watched as McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years and on top of it, she put a pointed wizard's hat. Patched, frayed, and extremely dirty.

Looks can be deceiving. y/n thought yet again and at that, the hat came to life, the rip near the brim opened like a mouth - and the hat began to sing.

So she had to try on the hat - it would decide her fate for which house... Huh. But the thought of going up, in front of hundreds of people to try on a HAT of all things, made her bit queasy. She looked at Harry and he was looking back - they had thought the exact same thing.

She watched onward as the hat was put on people's head and called out their house name, tension rising in her stomach - that bubble was ready to explode in her stomach and she was genuinely feeling quite sick. Her leg couldn't stop shaking on the spot. Why am I scared? I don't have stage fright and I wasn't afraid in the pub with all those people looking at me... I'm guessing it just a big decision and it's overwhelming that's all... And... It's a big decision without Harry. It's my first... without him.

They weren't many people left now and then at last, "Potter, y/n!" 

y/n was before Harry.

As she stepped forward, whispers broke out like wildfire all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The y/n Potter?"

"The twins must both be here then!"

"Do you see them?"

The hall went silent as the girl carefully walked up to the stool, people actually standing on their chairs to

get a good look at her, faint whispers elicited once they saw her in all her glory. y/n felt like a wreck as she sat on the stool but she held her head high doubtless.

The last thing she saw before the hat dropped over her eyes was a hall full of people craning to get a good look at her. Next moment, looking inside the black inside of the hat, waiting. She gulped, waiting, and waiting.

But nothing happened for a solid 4 minutes, she was counting. Every single and agonizing second. Whispers were increasing in volume, wondering why nothing had happened yet. Why wasn't the hat doing anything? oh god, she knew it they'd tell her she wasn't supposed to be here and shed get shipped back to the Dursleys. 

but Before y/n could start spiraling she could question it, the hat suddenly spoke through her ear, a tiny voice but it was deep and a bit menacing in the girl's opinion. "My my what a difficult one to place. I'm speechless. Wise, brave, resourceful, loyal to that dear brother of yours... dedicated... Logical, confident... Bloody hell I want to scream out loud... Too compassionate for your own good... Full of talent, yes - wants to achieve something in life and make their mark. You have... all the qualities of every house equally weighed out. It's almost as if your multiple people put nicely into one."

Can't you just pick a house already? The girl thought in her mind and the hat chuckled out loud to the entire hall, thundering and almost echoing. More people were murmuring. y/n was gripping the hat's sides and pulling it down slightly, hiding her hot face.

"Not patient though, haha... Interesting indeed. well let me ask you... what house do you want?" y/n couldn't believe she was actually having a conversation with a hat. I... Just want to be with my brother again.

"Oh?" The sorting hat quipped in interest. "Your brother? Now that is certainly interesting... Hm...What house do you think would suit him best?"

y/n pondered on the question for a few moments before thinking up her answer. He doesn't want to be in Slytherin, he told me of his dislike for it, that's for sure... Though I feel like it's kinda prejudiced; we haven't actually met any nice Slytherins I know of yet... He's not head-smart and he has a poor temper but... He's always brave, stands up for me and I've always looked up to him. He never cries nowadays and I feel like he's much more confident; I'm always holding his hand and it is like he's escorting me like some princess... Not saying that's a bad thing because he always makes me feel - y/n peered from under her hat, taking a peep at Harry. Eye's connecting at an instant, Harry smiled and the girl imitated the look. Her anxious leg stopped shaking at once - safe.

"Better be GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted the last word to the whole hall. y/n jumped in her seat at the sudden escalation of noise but thankfully no one seemed to notice as the sudden uproar from the Gryffindor's table was deafening.

She shakily walked towards the very table and flinched as Percy the Prefect got up and shook her hand vigorously. The twins were yelling, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" y/n sat down by them, releasing an "oof" as one of them - maybe George? - threw his arm over her and ruffled her hair. She was blushing a bright red, which made the twins grin widely.

Next was Harry, the entire time y/n had her fingers crossed and wished with the bottom of her heart and soul he would be in the same house. Her leg was shaking anxiously again and she noticed Harry's leg do the same. When the hat cried out "GRYFFINDOR!" The girl was tempted to jump up from her seat and run and tackle him in a hug. Obviously, she refrained and grinned as he sat beside her.

Finally was Ron, who was a pale green by now and a second later, the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" y/n clapped cheerfully and smiled reassuringly as Ron collapsed into the chair across from them. Percy praised him and the Sorting Hat was put away after "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Who was that? y/n didn't care as she was hit with the realization of how hungry she was now she was reunited with her twin. The empty gold plates seemed mocking.

Albus Dumbledore said some crap and y/n was still having a staring war with her reflection in the gold plate's smooth shine. The girl blinked for one second and nearly had a heart attack - the twin's mouths fell open - the dishes in front of them were now piled with food galore! more than they ever got at the Dursleys.

y/n relished in the food's warmth and deliciousness - she had never tasted anything quite like it. She listened halfheartedly as the house ghost of Gryffindor - Nearly Headless Nick talked onwards and she nearly choked on a sausage as his whole head suddenly swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. She survived but did not lose her appetite - she continued to feast as if her life depended on it and if you think about it...It really did. When the desserts appeared on the table, the girl let a single tear trickle down her cheek as she munched down an entire jam tart without hesitance. Only halfway through a strawberry cheesecake mid-bite, did she glance to her left and saw Harry staring at her gluttony in either horror or awe. 

y/n was increasingly becoming warmer and sleepier, her head floating and she gently swayed in her seat. She hadn't realized at one point she slumped on Fred for a few brief seconds, nearly falling asleep evident by her droopy eyes and petite yawns. Fred found the action endearing and so did George after he told him, saying something about a sleepy toddler... 

Then it all happened very suddenly. The girl was shot awake out her drowsy array at the pain shooting through her neck across her scar; it was like someone had started throttling her neck for only a second. She  
clutched her throat and yelped quietly but the pain had gone as quickly as it had come. No one seemed to  
notice and yet the girl was sweating bullets.

"Ouch!" Harry exclaimed. He must've felt it too, which was strange enough as it was.

"What is it?" asked Percy.

"N-nothing."

y/n watched in suspicion as Harry asked Percy about a certain teacher talking to Professor Quirrell, who happened to teach Potions, Professor Snape. A few things here and there about taking the Dark Art job but why the sudden curiosity exactly? She would have to ask him later in privacy. 

After the whole incident, y/n was restless and perturbed, watching sorrowfully as all the desserts disappeared. She tried to shake the feeling but it lingered - it was not a feeling she particularly liked. She listened half-heartedly about Professor Dumbledore's speech as he got to his feet again. The hall falling silent. She absorbed the information about the forbidden forest - whatever that was - and a corridor out of bounds to everyone "who does not wish to die a very painful death." Everything seemed bloody suspicious in Hogwarts; what kinda school was this? Doubtless, the girl observed onwards as everyone sang the school song before everyone trailed out the Great Hall of to bed.

After some sluggish walking with the rest of Gryffindor first years after Percy; up marble staircases; past talking portraits; and doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries; past a poltergeist named Peeves; and even more stairs, y/n found herself at a hung portrait of a fabulous and large woman in a pink silk dress. 

"Password?" she said. y/n made note it was 'Caput Draconis', which she had no idea what it meant but didn't question it further as the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. Scrambling through it like the rest of them, y/n breathed in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs and fluffy pillows.

Heaven.

y/n felt anxious as the girls and boys were separated into their respected dormitory... This would be the first night ever y/n had ever slept away from Harry. At that moment, climbing up a spiral staircase to her bed - her own bed!- she believed that this was the beginning of her finding her own independence away from Harry. She would always be his twin and they would always want to be together, however, they were too dependent on one another; and this was a baby step in beginning defining herself and not the twin title they shared.

At last, her glorious bed, surrounded by deep red, velvet curtains with three other beds beckoned her attention as she reached her dorm; she shared her dorm with some beautiful girls named Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil and the amazing Hermione, much to her pleasure. She would have gushed over that fact but she was too tired to talk much, thus, y/n pulled on her pj's and collapsed into bed.

"Hermione, I'm so glad we're sharing a room together. Girl power, am I right?" y/n said into a yawn to Hermione through the hangings and she responded with a sleepy nod. "I wonder if Bathilda's doing okay in the owlery... or not, hey Bathilda." y/n smiled. Almost summoned via her name, the adorable barn owl swooped down from the support beam above and nuzzled her feathery cheek against her owner. 

"Your sleeping here instead of the owlery, why is that?" She pondered, yawning again into her palm, the softness of the beds was unbelievable. Bathilda made an expression which y/n figured was disgust.

"Guess you hate sharing haha...ha..."

The last thing she saw before drifting away into sleep was Bathilda flying back into her nest, and soaring back, tucking a soft toy mouse she had found one of her daily outings near her neck. And with that, she was out like a light. She could have sworn the next morning, she had woken up in the middle of the night, feeling a strange and foreboding sense something was wrong but she brushed it off for a dream and dragged herself out of bed. Yep, she really did need more independence, Harry's not going to drag her awake every morning now, bummer.


	7. my potions professor's a punk (ass bitch)

y/n yawned sleepily into her palm and listened endearingly to Hermione babble about their upcoming first Potions class with enthusiasm. Mornings, after all, were always a heavy task for y/n as she could never seem to get up. Thankfully Hermione seemed to catch onto this trait and encouraged the girl to wake up for lessons - basically becoming her new alarm clock and friend. She had a few chats with Lavender and Parvati; appreciating they were good people to share a dorm room with.

The past few days in Hogwarts had been very eventful for y/n and in the little time, she had been at there... Hogwarts had revealed magic was more than a party trick: waving around a stick and saying some strange words. Of course, on the girl's first day, whispers had followed her departure from her dormitory with Harry. y/n didn't mind them too much, she thought they were charming, and - though people were lining up outside classrooms to get a look at her or Harry - she didn't mind the staring either. Harry was a different story; he felt a bit uncomfortable and was more concerned with finding his way to classes. y/n merely acknowledged them and a few times waved to gawking students with a petite smile - chuffing in amusement as they seemed to swoon. It was awfully weird but the girl found them endearing

y/n hated the staircases that would constantly change - there were 142! All varying from wide, sweeping, narrow, rickety; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. She also thought some of the doors were tedious, some wouldn't open unless asked politely and some weren't doors at all - who designed this place? Did they know students had to be in class ON TIME? y/n didn't pay the ghosts much attention or the caretaker, Argus Filch, or his cat Mrs. Norris, considering her classes the utmost priority. She thought all the teachers were marvelous (though Professor Binns, a ghost teaching History of Magic, was a drag); she especially liked Professor McGonagall. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment her first class began.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all impressed but it was too good to be true; they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After a series of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione and y/n had made any difference to their matches; which Professor McGonagall showed to the class. y/n was glowing with pride when she gave her and Hermione a rare smile.

DADA had turned out to be a joke after much anticipation, unfortunately. Professor Quirrell was practically the only teacher y/n somewhat disliked because of his incompetency and hated the smell wafting from off his turban. The Weasleys twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic like his classroom, much to y/n entertainment. But probably the most significant thing for y/n was... she was hanging out with Harry less and less. This was a double-edged sword for y/n, she loved Harry and was a bit blue about this but she was also becoming her own person and making her own friends! And that friend was no other than...

"Hermione, do you think McGonagall ever gets into any petty fights with the Hogwarts cats just to let off  
some steam?" 

"...y/n, please don't ask me that before our first Potions lesson."

"No, like, she could probably lure Mrs. Norris down into the dungeons for a fight club-" y/n was stopped as Hermione hit y/n on the back of the head with the potions textbook. "Okay! Okay! Haha, don't have to tell me twice, just teasing you." 

Hermione had become y/n #1 girlfriend, she was kind, intelligent, confident and both had a love for the wizarding world. They were quick to discover they both had been raised in Muggle-based households and their curiosity to this new world was very much justified and needed satiating. And thus, united to become the Gryffindor Girls! 

As Hermione had said, the Potions lesson was next and their first one. y/n had no idea what it could be like - Harry had told her Snape had been glaring at the back of their heads and the reason behind her scar hurting during the first banquet - maybe he disliked them? Well, certainly at the end of the lesson, y/n knew Snape didn't dislike Harry - he hated him. Still, she was a bit confused about his feelings towards her.   
Good thing they were visiting Hagrid together later, to gossip about it. y/n walked with Hermione to Potions, which took place down in the dungeons - where it was colder in the main castle and the female twin was strangely interested in the pickled animals floating in glass jars  
around the wall. Hermione had to drag her at one point away from these cool objects. On their way there, y/n remembered a certain boy's existence as she fleetingly made eye contact with the aforementioned blonde as Hermione hauled her along. Draco Malfoy. But it was only for a moment and then potion's became much more important than to reflect Malfoy's bothered expression.

Snape started the class by taking roll call, much like Flitwick their other professor. And just like the half-goblin man, he paused at the Potter Twins names. "Ah yes," he said softly, "y/n and Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity's."

Draco and his lackeys, Grabbe and Goyle, sniggered behind their hands. y/n paid no mind to them, they deserved no acknowledgment. Snape finished calling the names, looking up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's but lacked the warmth. Instead, they were cold and almost akin to dark endless tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. Speaking in barely more than a whisper and yet the class caught every word. Like y/n favorite teacher, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through the human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." More silence followed this little speech. y/n frowned and Hermione beside her was on the edge of her seat - desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead. "Mr. Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

y/n glanced at Harry, somewhat shocked he'd be picked on so early in the lesson, and found Harry glancing back for help. Hermione's hand had shot into the air and y/n nearly fell off her chair trying to not get slapped by it. She had a faint idea - she recalled reading in a flower book somewhere that asphodel was a lily and wormwood was another type of plant but together? She had no idea.

"I don't know, sir," said Harry. Snape's lip curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut - fame clearing isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's Hand, taking y/n as his next victim. "How about your sister then, Ms. Potter," Snape said, his black eyes piercing y/n soul, and yet she did not feel intimidated or afraid but rather determined. "Name three ingredients for Polyjuice Potion." Hermione was nearly standing as her hand stretched high into the air. y/n breathed a sigh of relief, she actually knew this one, and she was grateful towards Hermione and her meaningful lectures about the wide spectrum of magic and how much it interested her. Again, she paid no mind to Draco's lackeys who shook with laughter, and Malfoy who stared intently.

"Polyjuice Potion - a potion allowing the drinker to assume the form of anyone else. Lacewing flies, Boomslang Skin, and a bit of whoever the drinker intends to turn into." y/n replied confidently. She gently looked around, seeing a various selection of reactions from impressed to annoyed at her response. "Correct, Ms. Potter." Snape seethed quietly before turning back to Harry. "Thought you would let your sister do all the work, eh, Mr. Potter?" y/n frowned intensified - feeling it was highly unfair Snape had to force pressure onto Harry to answer difficult questions in the first minutes of the lesson. And Snape continued to ignore Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Mr. Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" At this question, Hermione stood up, hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling. "I don't know," said her twin quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" A few people laughed at this and y/n had to hide her perked lips but her fleeting humor disappeared. Snape, however, was not pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Mr. Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. And Ms. Potter, though arrogant with your answer, you were correct. Polyjuice potion is a very complicated potion and requires ingredients such as lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, knotgrass, powdered horn of a Bicorn and shredded skin of a Boomslang as well as a bit of whoever the drinker intends to turn into. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you copying that down?" y/n, quill and parchment at the ready, jotted down the notes and flinched as, over the noise of rummaging for the equipment, Snape said, "and a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek Mr. Potter." Tough crowd... or well, professor

Things were rather rocky for Gryffindor as the lesson continued and y/n could only pay respects for Harry by her cauldron as it was worse for him - Snape evidently having a grudge towards the boy for some unknown reason. Snape started the lesson in pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. y/n was partnered with Hermione and it was safe to say their potion looked the best despite Snape  
criticized them and idolized Malfoy for the perfect potion and how he had stewed his horned slugs correctly when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Speaking of Malfoy, he smiled smugly at her halfway through the lesson when he had caught her eye and the girl couldn't help but scoff and continue with her concoction.

"Hermione, we're going to make the best potion."

"So we're not dunderheads?" 

"We never were, sweety." Both of them giggled amongst themselves but unfortunately, Snape caught them and removed 4 points from Gryffindor - two for each of them for "being intrusive." 

"We better not push our luck, I don't want to lose another point," Hermione sulked after the incident. "I can't believe I lost a house point this is so unlucky and in my first week!"

"eh, my birth was unlucky. One of us was unplanned, I think it's Harry honestly." y/n grinned but Hermione glared. It was a "don't ruin this for me glare" about her house points. "K, I'll shut up now." It went worse from there, Neville somehow melting Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob and his potion seeping onto the floor and burning holes into people's shoes. Harry received the blame somehow - another point gone. 

As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, y/n was exhausted from that lesson and her spirits were rather low. Snape was a mean teacher big oof. Why on earth did he hate Harry so much? Later that day, at 2:45, y/n was on her way to leave for the castle on her own to have tea with Hagrid. Hermione has insisted to stay in the Gryffindor tower and Harry had gone with Ron to Hagrid. She didn't mind personally, thinking it was a step in the right direction to independence but at the same time, the girl couldn't help but feel something bad was going to happen.

And like she had jinxed herself, y/n halted as a robed arm obstructed her way, planted on the wall she had been walking next to. It was Draco Malfoy. AGAIN. "Well, well, isn't it Miss Potter. Out for an evening walk are you?" Draco smiled coyly, eyeing y/n with his silver-grey eyes. "...I wonder, where is your pathetic brother? Normally he'd be holding your hand like the little toddler you are. But oh no! The "arrogant twin" is on her lonesome.

His quips unfazed the girl and so did his chuckles at his own comments. y/n was looking around. How was no one seeing this? Where were the teachers when you needed them? Well, the competent ones at least.

"I could ask the same, where are your side bitches thing one and thing two? Normally they'd be eating from your shit spewing out from your mouth but I guess not today, right?" (y/n) replied bored, yawning into her palm.

"Unlike you, I don't need a brother to protect me and I'm perfectly fine with my loyal servants at my command." Draco, though he was extremely flustered on the train, was less so now. However, the evident redness in his cheeks - mostly likely from embarrassment - proved he was still irked by the comment.

"You know what, I don't have time for this." y/n got over her annoyance and pushed past Draco's arm effortlessly and strode forward with wide strides. She fixed her view forward but still knew the boy was pursuing her. 

"Hey pay attention to me!" His incessant moaning and oh god - whining for attention didn't stop. y/n, with difficulty, refused to acknowledge him and he followed and complained until she was at Hogwarts courtyard, having gone down 4 hallways and many steps. And that's when our sister snapped. "Oi! Acknowledge me or my father-!" Draco began but his tongue suddenly became tied. y/n had her wand raised and her glare genuinely frightened Draco. The petite girl had never looked so menacing and she hadn't even uttered a word.

"Draco, shut up before I make you." She said, stepping forward and pulled him down by his collar to her eye level, wand pressed against the underside of his mandible. Draco's eyes were wide and for a while, they were stuck in a stalemate of staring. He couldn't utter a word. Draco's heartbeat was erratic as the girl let go with a sigh. He stumbled back and didn't say a word as he watched y/n walk away undeterred.

After a lovely tea party with Hagrid, Harry, and Ron; y/n curiosity for Gringotts break-in on her and Harry's birthday left many things for her imagination. Where was that package now after Hagrid took it? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell them?


	8. Malfoy lied, who could have guessed (oh wait...)

"Draco Malfoy is such a bloody tosser; y/n I thought it would be impossible but I think there is someone I hate more than Dudley." Harry expressed his woes to his sister, who listened halfheartedly to her brother as she indulged herself in some wizarding literature. "He's just so nice to bother us, I mean come on, don't you think?" y/n peered over the spine of the book, raising a brow in her brother's direction. "That's a stretch don't you think? They're equally irritating but Draco is just like a child without the joy: needy, impulsive, smug, and attention-seeking. Pay him no mind, Harry, he wants our attention. We are famous, after all. He must think we're taking his limelight. Dudley's simply following his awful parent's example."

The twins were catching up on the daily gossip from their eventful week and Harry expressed evidently his dislike for Draco, which y/n could certainly, could agree upon. Both twins were somewhat grateful they only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. However, to mostly Harry's misfortune, the two would share flying lessons - Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together, The two houses were never a good match.

y/n was thrilled and anxious for the upcoming lesson, many other Hogwarts students had depicted the sport as fun and thrilling, Draco Malfoy, in this case, boasting about stories he had with flying with an emphasis on stories (y/n didn't care that much to listen). A student named Seamus Finnigan told how he'd spent most of his childhood on his broomstick out in the countryside. Even Ron would tell of his experiences with Quidditch and flying about on his brother’s - Charlie's - broomstick and how he nearly hit a hand glider.

It seemed everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly, which made y/n feel a bit nervous as she had never ridden a broomstick in her life. This is what made her empathize with Neville as he hadn't either because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, y/n knew the good reason why as the boy managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground. y/n was mostly worried about Hermione though, this isn't something you could learn by heart out of a book. Though, at breakfast on Thursday, she would lecture them all with flying tips she had gotten out of Quidditch through the Ages. Neville hung on everyone's word that could help him on his broomstick later but everybody else was pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail. y/n was never paying attention, even after a great night's sleep, her brain was scrambled eggs.

The twins hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, however, Bathilda still came to her owner nevertheless to flaunt her newfound treasures, which after being in Hogwarts for some time, she was discovering more precious things y/n could hardly imagine. For example, she had brought a smooth emerald the size of a brussel sprout and a broken snitch, which was dented in and had lost a wing. Malfoy had been quick to notice the lack of letters; but once again, y/n ignored him. A barn owl, similar to Bathilda, brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. y/n watched in interest as he opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble that seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things -- this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this, and if it turns red - oh..." His face fell as the ball suddenly glowed scarlet, "...you've forgotten something..."

"That's oddly adorable..." y/n muttered to Hermione on her left who rolled her eyes.

"y/n I don't call incompetency cute." 

"Yeah, but it's like helping an injured puppy back onto its feet. You kinda feel bad for it but also want to help, I guess."

"...I don't know what to say to that analogy," replied Hermione. "y/n... I think you have a knight-in-shining armor complex." While Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten, Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out his hand. y/n saw her brother and Ron jump to their feet and she facepalmed, Harry was hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy despite her constant reminders NOT to fight him. God damn it, Harry.

Thankfully, Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash and quickly diffused the situation. Malfoy sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him. At three-thirty that afternoon, y/n went down with Hermione and the other Gryffindors down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. The day was clear, breezy and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest. The trees swaying darkly in the distance perplexed y/n and she couldn't deny her sudden curiosity to venture in.

y/n ignored the Slytherins already next to their broomsticks and recalled Fred and George ranting about the poorness of the school brooms. Before long, their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. Hair grey and eyes yellow like a hawk. y/n stood by her broom. 

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'" 

"UP!" everyone shouted. Harry's and y/n broom jumped into their hands at once, but it was two of the few that did. Hermione's simply rolled over on the ground and Neville's hardly moved at all. y/n could hear the quaver in his voice and it was only too clear he wanted his feet to stay planted on the ground. Madam Hooch then demonstrated how to mount their brooms properly, walking up and down rows correcting grips. 

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two --"

But Neville, nervous, jumpy, and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched her lips. Madam Hooch shouted for him to come back but Neville kept rising straight up like a cork shot of a bottle. y/n nose scrunched up in worry at his face became pale-looking down at the ground, saw him gasp, before he slipped sideways off the broom and with a nasty crack, laid face down on  
the grass in the heap. His broomstick sill hovered and rose higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.

"Oh shit, he's broken his wrist," y/n mumbled under her breath, pressing her lips into a tight line as Madam Hooch directly told the class not to use the broomsticks before escorting Neville, the poor boy's face tear-streaked, to the Hospital Wing. 

No sooner were they out of earshot, Malfoy burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?" The other Slytherins joined in, apart from a few who stayed to themselves respectively. "Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil. "Ooh sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Can you, for a second, stop pushing your insecurities on someone else, whatever your dumb name is? Uh, Pants Park, Thanks." y/n replied with a level voice. Many of the Gryffindor's laughed at this, apparently listening intently. "It's Pansy Parkinson--!" She interjected.

"Yeah, the least relevant Slytherin, I still don't care."

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him." The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up. "Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch. Malfoy only smiled nastily. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?"

"Or you could not be an arse? It would be much easier for everyone," y/n glared at Draco but he ignored her and leaped onto his broomstick and taken off, laughing boisterously. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Not that the girl would care to admit. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak, he called, "come and get it, Potters!" Harry grabbed his broom while y/n watched onwards. "NO!" shouted Hermione. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble."

"KICK HIS ASS HARRY!" y/n encouraged as Harry mounted his broom and kicked hard against the ground and soared through the air, robes whipping behind him. Harry was a natural and it looked wonderful that even y/n was attempted to jump on her broom and follow his lead. Hermione glared at her as everyone watched her brother soar on the broom above, clapping, gasping, and cheering. "Why did you encourage him?! And why aren't you up there with him if you think it's so noble to 'kick his...' you know?"

"Ya gotta do what you gotta do, might as well support your siblings... and I'll murder Malfoy on the ground. I'm not as hot-headed as my brother and it'll be much easier. Plus, never flown before. could be absolutely rubbish at it.

y/n continued to view the scene from below. "...On second thoughts, maybe I SHOUldn't have - OH GOD HARRY!" Draco had carelessly thrown the ball high into the air and streaked back towards and, naturally, Harry leaned forward and dived for it. Gathering speed in his descent, y/n briefly panicked, Harry was going to crash! But just in time, he pulled his broom straight, catching the ball before toppling gently onto the grass. The girl merely released a breath of relief and was going to congratulate her brother, having such a natural talent for something foreign Until... "HARRY POTTER!"

"Harry you're royally screwed." y/n heart plummeted faster than Harry diving. Professor McGonagall was running toward them. y/n helped Harry up to his feet, his legs trembling for a reason. Professor McGonagall was almost speechless, speaking in fragments like a broken record and her glasses flashed furiously and after a terrifying moment of attempting to explain Harry was following McGonagall towards the castle. y/n glared in Malfoy's direction, who wore a triumphant face along with his irrelevant lackey's.

Malfoy caught sight of the female twin's staring and smirked joyously, which disappeared from his face as y/n smiled back. But it was not a happy smile, oh no, it was blank and uncaring, and Malfoy appeared especially mortified as the girl ran her thumb across her throat and pointed at Malfoy. She was obviously joking of course, but the threat was enough for Malfoy to back off for a while. The lesson continued as usual and was lackluster in comparison to Harry's show of bravery on the broom as y/n barely hovered off the ground. y/n was fine on the broom, nothing amazing, merely average but pretty decent for her first time. Doubtless, she was eager for the lesson to end to see if her brother was well - oh god what if he was expelled? Would she be all alone? Fortunately, the answer was no.

"You're joking." Ron gasped. y/n couldn't believe it as Harry had finished telling Ron and her about what had happened after he had left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. He was going to be a Seeker in Quidditch, in his first year! Ron explicitly stating how Harry would be the youngest House Player in about a century. He would be training next week.

"Harry, you legend." y/n was caught in the crossfire as the Weasley Twins, Ron and Harry spoke in anticipation about his role and she was equally amazed. Fred and George hardly disappeared when someone far less welcomed turned up: Malfoy flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. This dude, again. "Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the muggles? Bet your sister won't be as bold without her brother holding her hand." The aforementioned girl rolled her eyes, ignoring the boys' squabble, and continued to eat her dinner. 

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got little friends with you," said Harry coolly. Crabbe and Goyle evidently couldn't do anything as the High Table was full of teachers, except crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose? And y/n, your threat was like a bunny bearing its teeth."

"Sure looked like it," y/n replied with a roll of eyes, paying simply no time of day to Malfoy. The witch paid no input to the conversation as Malfoy declared a wizard duel to Harry and Ron being his second. And after some exposition, [Name] had enough.

"You do know that this is a trap right?" y/n commented, watching the two stare over at her.

"What do you mean? No, it's not."

"Yeah because it's definitely a fight to the death, think about it, Harry. Don't do it. Please, don't." y/n looked pleadingly at Harry.

"So... you're not coming...?"

"She's right you know." Everyone looked up to see Hermione Granger and y/n lit up with a smile. "Thank you, Hermione."

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron; earning a deadpan from y/n. Hermione ignored him and spoke directly to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying--"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"--and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry. 

"Good-bye," said Ron. As y/n watched Hermione leave, she whipped around and glared at Ron and Harry. 

"..What?" Harry muttered, unsure of what he had done wrong. 

"I can't believe you, this is obviously a set-up. Hermione has done nothing wrong and yet you treat her that way." y/n knitted her brow.

"Well if you like her defending her so much, go with her then," Harry said, but he genuinely didn't expect for y/n to do so.

"Fine then, I will. Don't forget I told you so," y/n grunted, collecting her stuff and leaving with a mutter.

"Too damn stubborn I tell ya."

\----

"We have to stop them."

"Oh my god, Hermione,” y/n hauled herself up into a sitting position in the soft outline of her bed. Hair unkempt and adorned in pastel pajamas; her eyes cried out for the sweet release of sleep with a reddish hue. 

“I know it’s bugging your conscience too!” Hermione whispered, being mindful of the other two people in their dorm, fast asleep. At least the two girls hoped. 

“If he goes off and does something stupid we shouldn’t stop them and then be held for blame...” y/n tightly pulled her pillow to her chest, her eyes rolling to the side. “Besides it’s late and I’m tired.”

”Well, we won’t be held for the blame if he gets expelled tonight. You know the rules, out of bed at night is punished SEVERELY. y/n he’s your twin.” Hermione said back. y/n huffed and tightly pulled her pillow to her chest, head butting her pillow with an exhale and tightly scrunching up her face and eyes. She didn’t reply and stubbornly held her tongue. At the noise of friction of blankets, y/n peeked at Hermione throwing off the covers and draping a pink bathrobe over herself. 

“If you aren’t coming, then I’m going by myself.” y/n watched Hermione momentarily with an intense gaze before sighing. She sluggishly threw off the covers and stood up, legs quivering from sleep fatigue

“I never said I wouldn’t go.” 

That's how y/n found herself flickering on a light and confronting her brother and Ron in the dead of night. 

“You!” Ron exclaimed furiously, pointing at Hermione. “Go back to bed!”

”y/n? What are you doing? I thought you chose Hermione over your own brother.” Harry directed towards his twin, his tone laced with bitterness. 

“Oh yeah, I chose Hermione, just like your choosing to believe Malfoy over your own sister, sit the fuck down.”

The twin's glare was adamant where even Ron, the king of rashness, had some anxiousness to disrupt such fiery faces

“Come on,” Harry said to Ron. Pushing over the fat lady’s portrait and climbing through with Ron. But the two girls wouldn’t give up that easily and were close on his heels. 

“Don’t you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves? I don’t want Slytherin to win the House Cup and you lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall.”

”Harry, you’re trusting Draco over me, that's the real crime here. You have everything to lose and nothing to gain from this, it’s not too late to turn back-

”Go away.” 

“Alright, but we warned you," Hermione and y/n pivoted to the portrait of the fat lady to return to bed but found themselves facing an empty painting. The fat lady had gone out for a midnight stroll and left the two friends locked out of Gryffindor tower. 

"Typical, JUST TYPICAL. The one time we go out during night time," y/n grunted, face appearing particularly sour and clawing the bags under her eyes. "This is your fault, Harry."

"How is it my fault?!" Harry objected; clenching his jaw as y/n neglected him and rested her head tiredly against the empty portrait. Almost in defeat.

"Now what are we going to do?" Hermione asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late." Ron and Harry hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione and y/n caught up with them.

"I'm coming with you," Hermione said, y/n nodding her agreement silently. Apparently hardly in the mood.

"You are not." y/n paid no mind to Ron and Hermione's bickering, a gentle snuffling sound catching her attention. Harry heard it too. 

"Shut it!" Harry said sharply.

"Ron, Minnie, listen." The sweet sound of snuffling.

"Mrs. Norris?" Ron breathed, squinting through the dark. Of course, it wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville, curled up on the floor, the poor pathetic child fast asleep but jerked suddenly away as they crept nearer.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's PIG SNOUT but it won't help you know, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm?" y/n and Harry said in sync. They shot glares, still off on the wrong foot. y/n tired and Harry riled up for the duel.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later-"

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already." Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione, y/n, and Neville. 

"If any of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you." y/n said nothing, too fatigued to force herself to be defensive and simply followed as everyone moved forward along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from high windows. She had to admit, Hogwarts was a stunning but ominous scene at the dead of night but had bigger things on her mind. Luckily, they didn't run into Filch or Mrs. Norris and sped up countless stairs until they tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Surprise, Malfoy, and Crabbe weren't there yet. y/n edged along the wall, creeping in the shadows with the others, and waited, minutes ticking by. Ron commenting about how they chickened out. But it was futile suspicions. y/n distrust had been justified, they weren't coming, this was a trap. 

"Sniff around my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." Speak of the devil, Flitch was speaking to Mrs. Norris. y/n like to think of herself as a level-headed person, and was calm in stressful situations, but at the mere sound of Filch's voice, she felt her heart plummet and panic nearly seize her limbs. She shared horrorstruck looks to Harry and both waved madly for the others to follow them as quickly as possible. Scurrying  
silently towards the door, away from Filch's voice. y/n's heartbeat pounded in her ears, her breaths seemed to be louder than ever, and blankly followed Harry down a long gallery full of suits of Armour. When Neville tripped, pulling Ron down with him into a suit of armor, y/n was resolute about sprinting for her life. The clanging and crashing and someone screaming "RUN!" were mere echoes as she galloped down one corridor then another, somehow finding herself holding Harry's hand once again and sprinting mindlessly. Where were they going? Where had they gone? Ripping through a tapestry, there was a hidden passageway. Then the charms classroom. And then,  
relief. Filch was off their tails, they were miles away from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering. y/n quite the opposite, hands intertwined on the back of her head as she absorbed the glorious oxygen into her lungs.

"I-I," y/n couldn't form words, so visibly shaken by the whole ordeal. But what unnerved her more was the picture of Mr. and Mrs. Dursleys and Dudley in the back of her mind. Tears pricked her eyes, quickly swallowing the image away when she felt a weight on her shoulder. It was from Hermione.

"y/n was right," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? Malfoy was never going to meet and Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room. Malfoy must've tipped him off. Like y/n said, a trap."

"Let's go."

y/n ignored the pang in her chest as her brother snubbed her; did her words mean nothing to him? She considered it to be his stubbornness and, despite the lingering ache rolling in the pit of her stomach, followed loyally until after a dozen paces, something came shooting out of the classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves and at the sight of them, he gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves - please - you'll get us thrown out." Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caught." y/n watched on as they tried to persuade Peeves to stay silent until Ron took a swipe at Peeves - a big mistake. 

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!" Ducking under Peeves, y/n and the other ran for their lives. They slammed into a door at the end of the corridor - and it was locked. y/n hands were shaking, the image of the Dursleys focusing in her mind again, blanking out with dilated, glazed eyes, helplessly pushing at the door with the others. 

"This is it!" Ron moaned. "We're done for! This is the end!"

"Oh move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, "Alohomora!" The lock clicked and the door swung open - they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening. Apart from y/n, she arched her head on the wall; taking deep breaths through her nose with clenched eyes to calm her quivering fingertips. Gently opening her eyes, the adrenaline nearly  
doubled in her veins at the sight,

"Harry..." She whispered.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered.

"Harry... Oh, fuck..." y/n whispered again, a curse slipping through her teeth. 

"I think we'll be okay - get off, Neville!" Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of her twin and when detached from Harry, he immediately latched onto y/n. "What? Harry turned around and finally saw, quite clearly, what. This was too much, on top of everything that had  
happened so far. 

They weren't in a room, as Harry had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden. They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs. It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and the twins knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that. There was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant. 

y/n groped for the doorknob - between Filch and death, she'd take Filch. They fell backward - y/n quick in action slamming the door shut, snatching Harry and Neville by the arm, the two closest people to her, and they ran. She hardly cared if Filch would catch her at this point - she was just so frightened and so eager to get back to bed. They didn't stop running until they reach the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor. 

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces. 

"Never mind that - " Hermione wheezed. 

"Pig snout, pig snout," the twins panted and y/n practically dived into the common room when the portrait swung forward. She threw herself over the sofa, sinking into the warm embrace of the pillows. "Oh thank God."

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never spoken again. And when Ron questioned the three-headed dog's existence in the school, y/n paid no input or breath when Hermione lectured her twin and Ron about it standing on a trapdoor. It was guarding something.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." Hermione said, looking back at y/n." you coming?"

"Yes," she said exhaustedly, heaving herself from the sofa. She turned back to her brother briefly, flashing him a lazy smile. "Uh, goodnight Harry, you too Ron and Neville. Oh and Harry? Listen to me next time, alright? This was exhausting and a bit traumatizing for my tastes."

She didn't wait for his reply and followed after Hermione back to their dorm room. Too exhausted to care and she'd make up with him doubtless.

Bathilda was wide away, turning her head curiously wondering where on earth her owner could have gone. A colorful plastic bracelet dangling from her beak.

"Thanks, girl," y/n scratched under her neck affectionately, thanking her for another little gift. "Don't ask, night."

"Night Minnie."

"Night y/n, and we're talking about that nickname tomorrow morning."

" All 'ight."

y/n collapsed into bed, falling asleep almost instantly after crawling crudely out her bathrobes and under the covers. It seemed y/n and Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.


	9. Wingardium Levifuckyou

y/n couldn't have regretted her decision of the previous night any more than she did the following morning. Sure, it was a bit of a fun adventure and she somewhat had a deep curiosity of what the three-headed dog guarded. But she was dead tired. Her eyes almost seething a murderous flare as they were ringed with tired black circles like she was a raccoon. Frankly, she wasn't having a good morning and there were lots of things to add to her long list of problems. 

On the contrary, Harry and Ron were tired but perfectly cheerful, relishing in Malfoys surprise they were still at Hogwarts. And y/n had a deep, spiteful, hatred of the two for it... Well... "Hate" was a strong word but no doubt she was grumpy at her brother. And even though their late-night adventures with the three-headed dog had been an excellent experience, y/n had a bit of a grudge about her brother ignoring her warnings. She was somewhat envious. Her day was going terribly, though, her brother was quite the opposite. He received his new broomstick today. 

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall in the morning, as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once of the long, thin package carried by six screech owls. y/n lacked much interest until it was dropped right in front of Harry, who sat beside her. 

They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. Harry ripped open the letter first, which was lucky because it said: DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE. It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read. "A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."

They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall, they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it.

"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them." Ron couldn't resist it. "It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig." Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry.

"Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sit," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added. Harry and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion. "Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team...."

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs as y/n followed, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry. "Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good." the girls gave them matching glares before marching away.

\----

On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. y/n was paired with dean Thomas, Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan. Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger.

It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to either of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived. "Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too — never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest." It was very difficult, a bit more so with Neville who had nearly poked her eye out with his frantic wand movement. But nothing y/n couldn't do. 

"Neville, relax. The feather won't jump out at you," y/n chided him gently. "Try doing your movements more delicately and smoothly and pronounce it as clearly as possible. here, say it to me before you cast it."

Neville looked y/n directly in her eyes. He seemed to sweat more and his face glow with pink. "Wingardium l-leviosa... Um...sorry, you're a little bit intimidating..." he stuttered, averting his eyes. "That's okay, you can't help that it's true. But people accomplish things at different rates and we shouldn't fault them for making mistakes. That's part of the learning process. So take your time, really." y/n patted his shoulder, making him jump. "Now let's try again. Be confident."

"O-okay!" y/n could tell Neville was the farthest thing from confidence but he still recited the phase with determination. "Wingardium leviosa!"

"Great pronunciation! Let's cast together, and don't stop trying," y/n commanded flexing her arm and counting down from three. with a flick of her wrist, said in sync with Neville

"Wingardium Leviosa!" y/n feather immediately rose from the desk, and twirled above her head; she smiled proudly. Neville's, though rather shakily, also ascended. He stared up wide-eyed, almost as if he couldn't believe it. He wasn't the only one surprised, several other students around mumbled to each other. "I d-did it? I did it! Thanks, y/n. You're a great teacher!" Neville instinctively clung to her arm, muttering his many thanks into y/n robe. He was somewhat snuggled up next to her like a baby koala. adorable really.

"You welcome," y/n smiled kindly at Neville before glancing over at Hermione to see she had done the same. Ron, beside her, had a foul look in his eyes, nose scrunched up irritably. y/n smile vanished. Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of class. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as y/n passed them in the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly. How can you put up with her y/n?." at that y/n face grew red hot.

"What I don't understand is how you can fault her for working hard and being intelligent. She's wonderful."

"Yeah right, and I thought you were smart. My mistake," Ron huffed. y/n glared at him, "my mistake too, I thought you had at least a brain cell." Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was from Hermione. y/n caught a glimpse of her face — and her heart began to ache to see she was in tears. "Well done, Ron you made her cry. I hope you're happy," y/n fumed, storming off after Hermione. "You're lucky I haven't punched you back to London yet. Harry tell the teacher I felt ill if they ask, please."

y/n followed Hermione to the girl's bathroom, asking around where she had gone off too and pursuing her path. Gingerly, she opened the old and heavy bathroom door and stepped quietly inside to the sobbing and sniffles of Hermione, locked away in one of the stalls. Her weeping was amplified by the bathroom's quietness and emptiness as everyone was in their last daily lesson. 

"Hermione?" y/n softly called out. The sobbing hitched as Hermione attempted to quiet down. "I know you're in here." Hermione didn't reply for some while before muttering a shaky, "go away... you should be in class..."

"You're more important than a class Hermione," y/n stated firmly. "Do you need anything? I want to help. Please Hermione, your the first friend I've ever had, and it's literally killing me inside to see you so upset." Hermione didn't reply again. She was deathly silent except for a few unpleasant sniffs before there was a rattle of the stall's lock and it swung open. Hermione's gorgeous maroon eyes were red and shiny: nose dripping. "Y-you're first?..." She snuffled, "you're mine too..."

"Yeah, my first." y/n said, her eyes watering just slightly. jeez since when was she so emotional.

"Do you want a hug?"

At that moment, Hermione broke down. She threw herself onto y/n and burrowed herself into her embrace. Hermione cry's were muffled in y/n's robes but the mere desperation and sadness laced in her chokes made her heart shatter into a hundred tiny fragments. The girl couldn't help but cling just as tightly to Hermione, allowing her head to nestle in the crook of her neck and sob into her shoulder. y/n's eyes grew blurry with tears herself and soothingly stroked Hermione's bushy, soft hair. She gave her all the time in the world to sob her heart out. 

y/n was alerted to some other girls entering the bathroom but a quick death glare made them leave. Thankfully, Hermione had no idea, Hermione calmed down after many, many minutes of heartfelt crying. She simply leaned on y/n, snuggling against her side; slowly breathing. "God, Ron is SUCH an idiot for making you cry, want me to hex him" y/n scowled, but Hermione exhaled snorts of amusement told her he took that as a joke. "Boys are so stupid. Want to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about? Everyone hates me, especially him and he said I had no friends... Though the friend thing hurt me more..." Hermione sighed. 

"But he was super wrong because I literally adore you, and I'll beat up anyone to a pulp if they mess with my Minnie." y/n grinned playfully. "No! You would be expelled!" Hermione rejected the thought and pulled away but y/n merely laughed. "You're so violent and reckless for someone so lazy and helpful."

"It's a gift." y/n smiled. She then caught a glimpse at her watch, blowing a low whistle through her lips, "damn, we skipped a whole lesson, let's get you cleaned up and-." y/n was interrupted as Hermione gave a high, petrified scream. y/n whipped around and felt her heart plummet into her stomach. It looked like a mountain troll she had read in a book but the pictures didn't seem to give it justice to how ugly it looked even if the photos were moving. But why the hell was it in the girl's bathroom?

Hermione was shrinking against the back wall and y/n stood in front of her, her eyes bulging out her head as Harry and Ron ran in from the door in the opposite wall. Where did they come from? She was secretly happy to see her brother even though but what could he do against a troll? It slowly was advancing towards them and y/n quickly seized her wand out the pocket of her baggy jeans under her robes. Her hands were trembling and no spells came to her mind at that moment, her mind was cloudy. She clenched her jaw, taking a step back. Why wasn't she doing anything? 

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it hard as he could against the wall. The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione and y/n. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see the source of the noise. It means little eyes saw Harry and y/n at that moment knew it would go for Harry. She gasped out, "Harry!"

But Ron distracted it again, "oi pea brain!" The shoutings and echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started towards Ron, who was the nearest and had no room to escape. "Harry. Move."

Things clicked in y/n head. She took a mighty swing of her wand, wielding almost like a sword, and focused intensely on the troll. The spell from the Stairs pranks coming to mind, she could almost feel her alder wand heat under her fingertips as she cast a powerful surge of fire from the tip of the wand. The incantation rolling powerfully of her tongue. 

"Incendio!" 

The effect was immediate, the troll gurgled out in anguish as the fire hit its back. It's mere power blowing y/n hair back and giving a soft glow to her skin. Even though the troll's skin was thick, the heat was unbearable and it thrashed and bashed the glowing scorch mark on its back with fists as big as footballs. It hit its own back with its club a few times, trying to combat pain with more pain. This gave time for Ron to pull out his own wand as Hermione sank to the floor in fright. Not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell to mind: 

"Wingardium Levisoa!" 

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turning slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack on its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot before falling flat on its face with a mighty THUD that made the whole room tremble. Harry was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done. y/n, on the contrary, was breathing slowly and calmly despite how her heart thundered against her chest. She peered around at everyone in the room, eyes skimming worriedly, and tucked her wand away.

"Is... everyone alright?" Everyone nodded but remained quiet. Hermione was second to speak. "Is it—dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry. 

"I think it's just knocked out," said Ron, as he saw it twitch.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps alerted the four to look up. With all the racket they had been making someone was bound to hear them and no a moment later, Professor McGonagall had burst into the room. She was closely followed by Snape with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat down on a toilet seat, clutching his heart. 

Snape bent over the troll, Professor McGonagall was looking directly at Ron, y/n, and Harry. The twins had never seen her look so angry. 

"What on earth were you thinking of?" Said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?" Snape gave Harry and y/n a swift, piercing look. y/n shrunk into her shoulders. Then a small voice came out of the shadows. 

"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me." 

"Miss Granger!" Hermione has managed to gather her feet at last and moved beside y/n. 

"I was looking for the troll because I — I thought I could deal with it on my own — you know because I read all about them." Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher? y/n was speechless, Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules and yet she was pretending she had to get her, her brother, and Ron out of trouble. 

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead by now. Harry distracted it, y/n blasted it with fire and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come get anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived." 

"Well— in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?" Hermione hung her head. 

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I am very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses." Hermione left. Now Professor McGonagall turned to the twins and Ron. 

"Not many first students could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five hours points. For dumb luck. You may go." Glad that's finally over, y/n felt a breath of relief slither through her lips when she reached the portrait of the fat lady. With Ron and Harry, she said "pig snout." Entering the packed and noisy common room. y/n softly smiled at Hermione stood alone at the door waiting for them. There was an embarrassing pause between the four. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said, "thanks," and hurried off to grab a plate. 

y/n was happy to say Hermione was now friends with Harry and Ron from that moment on.


	10. I get curb stomped by a bludger

November turned Hogwart's weather cold - coating each morning with a layer of ice frost and this meant it was the beginning of Quidditch season. The battle of biggest balls — eyeballs more specifically — to quickly see and catch that sneaky golden snitch. Which Harry had the responsibility weighing on his little 12-year-old shoulders. y/n has to say quidditch grew on her - she had watched a few of Harry's training sessions as well as Fred and George's who had invited her to watch as they vigorously trained for the House Championship.

She had to admit it was the most entertaining sport to watch - there was just that certain appeal about flight basketball over regular basketball. Nevertheless, y/n supported Harry (and the rest of Gryffindors team I guess) the best she could at the training. Though at times she did worry he would get hurt, she trusted Harry's capabilities fully. Life had been going great, especially since Hermione was now friends with Ron and Harry after the whole troll incident, it felt much better being around Harry more. Though y/n still often liked to take walks on her own without her friend's company but with herself. The solitude was well needed especially when privacy was hard to come by sharing a dorm with three other people.

y/n decided on a walk around campus the day before the Quidditch tournament before dinner. Wrapped up in scarves and a fluffy coat, she was akin to a walking marshmallow. But a happy, cozy marshmallow that was protected against the November's feisty winds. On her walk, she saw Snape limping briefly as she walked down a corridor and apparently he caught her staring.

"Miss Potter, for your unacceptable and rude staring that's five points from Gryffindor," he said with a flourish as he limped away like the coward he was.

Harry told her later about the theory that he might have attempted to infiltrate the room with the three-headed dog but she had kinda gathered. "Bastard." She huffed. It was understandable. This walk's entire purpose was to mind her own business and get some moments to herself but it was rather unavoidable. Still, she felt kinda bad. Snape expression was an awkward sneer for his pain. But doesn't he usually look like that? Ha!

"What's that ugly smile for? Smiling at empty air, Potter? How foolish!

God. Please. Not him again.

"I'm literally just living Malfoy. Can't you leave me alone for five seconds." y/n saw the dreaded weasel approaching her in the hallway. Seeing her on her own, she guessed she was easy pickings. "Is my attention that important to you?"

"No of course not, why would I want your attention. I just like to see you squirm and tell you how poor of a job your brother will do tomorrow. I'll make sure a stone mattress will catch him." Draco denied, his voice a bit panicked may I add as he attempted to shoot down y/n's comments.

"Good for you. This feels like Deja vú, haven't we been in this situation before?" She monotoned. "You can stop following me now."

"I'm not following you," he said, continuing to tailgate her. "You always walk on your own down to dinner, and it's so annoying. God, famous y/n Potter can't ever leave me alone."

"Sure I can't leave you alone — Wait... How did you know I walk to dinner on these walks?" You said, raising a brow.

"I didn't say—." Draco started.

"Don't deny it! You said, "always walk—," oh my god you are following me! damn, I didn't know you actually want my attention," y/n said, quaffing out a single laugh. "what you got like a crush on me or something? Shit, that's why you are so needy!—."

"GET OUT MY SCHOOL!" Draco Malfoy shrieked in her face, storming past y/n with awkward long strides while y/n continued to laugh.

Dinner even sweeter that day and Draco Malfoy was apparently too embarrassed to bother her on her walks for quite a while. The following morning dawned bright and cold for the day of the famous rivals battling it against each other, Slytherin vs Gryffindor. The smell of sausages and cheerful chatter filled the room as everyone was quite eager for the Quidditch Match.

"Harry, eat." y/n said.

"I don't want anything," Harry muttered

"Do you want to die of malnourishment? I don't care, eat your god damn toast before I hex you." y/n followed up. Harry merely shot a glare in response and ignored her for the rest of the morning. "You'll do amazing, you twat. Stop worrying."

"Little Siblings... Ugh,"

"We're the same age!" Thankfully Seamus Finnigan managed to convince Harry with a rather gentler and more encouraging method than y/n's. By eleven o'clock the Quidditch pitch was ready and the students had flocked to the stands to watch. y/n was apart of the stands, with a pair of binoculars to see the action from afar, and stood beside Ron, Hermione, Neville, Seamus, and Dean on the top row. As a surprise for Harry, y/n had helped paint a large banner which said 'Potter for President!' Dean was quite a good drawer and had painted a quaint Gryffindor lion underneath and Hermione had performed a little charm so it flashed different colors. Wonderful handwork y/n had to admit.

"Look! There are our winners to be! GOOOOOOOO HARRY!" y/n hollered as Harry walked onto the pitch with the rest of the quidditch team, in between George and Fred looking a bit ill. "Dang, he's so nervous I can smell him sweating from the stands."

For a brief second, Harry's eyes darted over y/n and co. and his posture seemed to straighten. Madam Hooch was refereeing the match and stood in the middle of the field between both teams, a broom to hand. After some talk amongst themselves, Madam Hooch's silver whistle loudly blasted and the game was in motion. Brooms in the air. They were off.

y/n watched on with bated breath, Lee Jordan hastily providing the commentary of the events as the match was set in swift motion - GRYFFINDOR SCORED FIRST. y/n grinned widely as the loud cries resonated loudly around her as Gryffindor cheered. Slytherin booed but in the center of the celebration, it was extremely faint like a dormouse to a giant. The quidditch game of the year. Too bad y/n missed it all.

y/n delightful laughter seized as a chill ran down her back, blood hardening with a sickening coldness. Her eyes flickered to the pitch, glancing for anything remotely at fault for this unwanted feeling. It was abrupt and unnatural. And yet, nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong. Was is?

"y/n— it looks like you've seen a ghost! What's up with you?" Apparently, y/n's distress was rather apparent. Ron had queried, semi-shouting over the bustle of Gryffindor's loudly stretching their vocal cords.

"I— I have to go. Now. I can't—," y/n started and attempted to yank herself away from Ron and the others. Hermione, Neville, and the others had noticed her sudden paranoia now.

"But the games just started!" Seamus huffed. "And it's your brother's first—"

"Oh-! Shut it, Seamus, I know! I just —." y/n snapped - she really hadn't meant to. But... This was wrong. Something seemed to be wrong. Something was so wrong. The crowd almost grew louder and a rapid increasing ache in the girl's nape made y/n spine arch to ease the irritation. Her ears tingled like the sensation of lightning about to strike the earth. "I— Move! Please, I need to!" Her feeble attempt to escape the wave of people. She was deeply nauseated by the sudden awareness of claustrophobia and the inability to escape the situation. The experience was almost worse than what occurred momentarily after.

"WATCH OUT—."

y/n heard someone shout - at the moment she couldn't attach the cry to a name but she heard the panic immediately over the crowd. Her eyes flickered forward to witness, for a brief second, the leather smoothness of a bludger before it impelled her face - dead center in the nose. The noise of her nose breaking on impact was not a pleasant sound to remember but she knew what it sounded like now. She felt the momentum and heavyweight crumple into her face, scrunching her nose like it was an autumn leaf underfoot. The bludger's force was so poignant it whipped her back, someone clumsily caught her and all she could recall was lying limp in two people's arms, eyes and nose streaming with tears and blood. She couldn't smell anything- her nose had been shredded. If it was just that, she would've been fine. 

A little bit whiplashed, tear-stained, and a broken nose that burned her nervous system. But the bludger was relentless. It hit her in the same place. Again and again and again. The bludger splattered her blood, brown leather tainted by crimson as it annihilated her face over and over. y/n shielded her head weakly with bloody palms - vision blurred and hiccuping with sobs. Someone was screaming and with a final blow, the poor girl violently lost consciousness.

————

"Easy now."

Everything hurt. 

A prickling ache gnawed at the base of her cranium craning her back and something heavy pulling her forward like a sick seesaw. y/n groaned, stars swimming in front of her eyes. God, she didn't want to get up but a hand supporting her back managed to heave her in a sitting position. Her eyes finally focused and she awoke to Madam Pomfrey - Hogwarts Nurse.

Ah, so she was in the hospital wing.

"Good, you're finally awake." Madam Pomfrey smiles assuringly. "Now, what is your full name and who is your brother?"

"Wha...?" you croaked out, throat dryer than concrete on a summer's day. "y/n Potter and my brother is Harry... I... can I have some water, please? My throats really dry."

"Of course dear," Pomfrey graciously handed y/n a glass of water which y/n slobbered down rather quickly and messily. "That's good progress, no signs of amnesia, especially after the severe concussions you had. Skull fractured in two places, I've never seen damage from a bludger so severe in my career!" The quiet moment of her drinking gave her a chance to observe her surroundings. It was her first time in the Hospital Wing, and hopefully her last. She had heard many things about it and the nurse. She laid down in a bed with pristine white sheets and on either side of her sat flowers, cards, chocolates, and a misshaped box slapped together with tape, perched on a plain but quaint bedside table. Her heart swelled, the get-well-soon gifts were for her. People actually cared about her.

"Ah! y/n yar finally awake, was wondering when you've had enough beauty sleep!" Hagrid cheered. He ducked down into the doorway at the far end and quickly hobbled over, his large boots hammering rather loudly on the hospital wing floor. 

"Hagrid!" y/n beamed at a familiar and friendly face. She hastily made a movement to get out of bed and rush over to hug him the biggest hug she could muster but Madam Pomfrey was having none of it. She made a firm move and gently ushered her back down. "Hey! I want to hug him!"

"No sudden movements young lady! You've only just woken up from that terrible incident!" Madam Pomfrey sternly scolded y/n before smiling kindly towards Hagrid. "How's the hand Hagrid? That was a very heroic thing you did back there, one more hit and poor y/n might have been in an even worse situation. Possibly a depressed fracture."

"Ah, just a few bruises, Nuthin' to worry 'bout. I should really be asking 'bout y/n over 'ere. No offense but you're a bit worn for wear!" Hagrid said, flexing his hand.

"It's worse for wear not worn, Hagrid." Madam Pomfrey politely corrected.

"What happened to your hand Hagrid? Are you okay? And what do you mean by me being in a worse situation?" y/n questioned "...Wait, how long was I out for?"

7 days.

y/n had been knocked into a week coma from the bludger incident. Madam Pomfrey told her of the situation that followed and y/n had sobbed into Hagrid's coat. Not because of reliving trauma or anything but the pure selflessness of Hagrid. Despite unconscious, the bludger kept senselessly annihilating y/n face and every Gryffindor student around her in the panic was stunned on what to do. Apparently, Ron had fainted and Hermione's spell perfect for the situation couldn't come to mind. y/n couldn't blame her, the situation must've been stressful.

Hagrid, bless his heart, had appeared just in time. Initially there to watch the game by y/n, Hermione and Ron. He had saved her, shielding y/n with his hands like a koala in shining knight armor hugging her for protection. He endured the blows from the bludger before one of the older students gathered their footing and suspended the bludger mid-air with a disarming charm. The older student being Percy, which  
y/n now had to find to give thanks too.

Apparently, for 30 minutes the game was paused, y/n limp body was escorted to the hospital wing by Hagrid; people splattered with blood were swiftly cleaned up; after replacing the "faulty" bludger the game had to continue. After all, it was the Slytherin vs Gryffindor. Nothing, not even a violent attack in the crowd, could interrupt that strife.

y/n could only wonder what Harry had to be thinking at that moment. Was he nervous? Mortified? And yet the game still continued.  
After a long hug with Hagrid and a final checkup from Madam Pomfrey, y/n was released from the hospital wing. The evening was late and gingerly she exited the hospital wing with only a few plasters covering her now straighter nose and face where cuts were still present, waving her final thanks to Madam Pomfrey for the unintentional nose job and obviously healing her. Honestly, Hogwarts would be in disarray  
without her.

————

Finally in her room. All the girls were asleep and someone was faintly snoring. After sleeping for 7 days, y/n would sleep for another night. She'd say hi to Hermione tomorrow and the rest of the girls in her common room before seeing Harry again. She was weirdly exhausted and groggy. Collapsing against her bed, she deeply exhaled, relaxation already wafting over her system. And yet, the urge to sleep hadn't overcome her yet. Simultaneously, she was exhausted but didn't want to go to sleep yet.

"Oof!" Bathilda gently screeched and startled y/n as she settled on her chest, talons prodding her as delicately as possible. The barn owl sweetly rubbed her feathery head into the wizard's cheek, twittering softly in happiness at reuniting with her owner. Naturally, y/n scratched trinket behind the ear and chuckled. "Good to see you too, Bathilda."

"y/n? Is that you? You're back and you didn't wake me?"

Ah shit. I woke Hermione up.

Bathilda hopped back into her little cubbyhole with her treasures as y/n sat up to greet a disheveled looking Hermione in her pajamas.

"Not much to tell though, really? Here I am, out of my week-long coma. Did I miss much?" y/n quipped, feigning her usual sarcastic self but Hermione was having none of it. "Hermione you don't need to—!"

Hermione, pouting, launched her covers off her bed and swooped up y/n in a hug. A shy but joyous smile wobbled its way on the witch's face.

"I, Harry, and Ron have been so worried about you especially Harry. This week just hasn't been the same without you— Oh! I'm so glad your back!" Hermione said, quietly. "Actually, I have a lot to tell you. Snape attacked both you and Harry and that's why you got hit with a bludger so violently—!"

"Wait, what? What do you mean Snape attacked me AND Harry? Minnie slow down sweetie!" y/n laughed but stifled and looked over at Brown and Patil, who didn't stir in the slightest. "Start after I got thwacked unconscious by an evil magic leather ball!"

"y/n that was serious!" Hermione denied but nevertheless she told the wizard everything in detail about what occurred next.  
The witches talked for a while. How Snape had bewitched Harry's broom; how Hagrid had valiantly saved y/n from a wild bludger; how Harry had caught the snitch using his mouth and dumb luck - winning the game, etc. And a new lead! About a man named Nicolas Flamel being involved in whatever the three-headed dog - Fluffy - was guarding. Hermione even dared to say Snape had bewitched the bludger to kick  
y/n face in and another revelation...

"That's outrageous!"

"Hermione shh! Lavender and Parvati are sleeping!" 

"Still! Hogwarts teachers have no right to stop you watching Quidditch," Hermione was very adamant about the fact you had been banned from watching quidditch for the rest of the year. "That's an insult on injury! It's not like you asked to be assaulted!"

"Minnie, really, it's okay," y/n sweetly hushed her. "I'm just a magnet for trouble and if it means my safety then surely you understand? To be honest, after that whole accident, I... don't think I want to watch quidditch for a while..." y/n eyebrows raised as Hermione firmly grasped her shoulders, forcing her to gaze into Hermione's scrutiny. Her eyes often reminded y/n of autumn, a swirl of burgundy, warm orange and deep browns like her mere stare melded with the season's falling leaves - or maybe the girl had been reading too many romance novels. Doubtless, even when talking about such dismal things, y/n loved to find herself lost in them.

"That was no accident, y/n," Hermione said with a pang of pensive guilt entangled in her words. "You got hurt, badly. Like really badly. And I wish I would have done something but I just--."

"Minnie, I don't get why you're more upset over this than I am. Really, I'm okay. You did everything you could at that moment." y/n offered a sincere smile to Hermione. For a moment, the two basked in each other's company.

"Minnie, I think it's night-night time, now."

"I still don't think this situation is okay..." Hermione muttered but didn't comment further, instead, she just crawled under the covers of her own bed and said her own goodnight. God, what a week


	11. we stare at our reflections more than gilderoy lockhart (though i have no idea who that is)

December quickly dawned on Hogwarts with the arrival of snow and the bustling excitement of Christmas slowly approaching. The lake was frozen solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching snowballs to follow Quirrell around and hit the back of his turban and a few owls that managed to endure stormy skies to deliver mail were nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again. And yet, y/n was not looking forward to the holidays to start. Contrary to everyone else. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the iciness of the drafty corridors and bitter wind whistling through the classroom windows reminded y/n of the coldness of the season. Especially in Professor Snape's classes down by the dungeons, where their breaths would rise in a mist before them and they huddled as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

This season, though it had its perks, was just so lonesome, and - at Christmas - it could be at its worse. This year, however, would be different. y/n could finally afford a proper present for Harry and her friends and she wouldn't be celebrating at the Dursley's this year. professor McGonagall had come around a week prior; making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays and the Potter Twins signed up at once. There was hope for this Christmas... It would probably be the best Christmas they'd ever had... Ron and his brothers were staying too because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." Malfoy looked over at Harry and y/n as he spoke, wallowing in the laughter of his lackeys, Grabbe and Goyle. The two merely ignored him, too busy with potions to regard the little shit... even though he was technically older but that was beside the point. Malfoy was being a salty bitch because Slytherin had lost and had been increasingly unpleasant than usual since.

He apparently had tried to get everyone laughing at a wide-mouth tree frog that would be replacing Harry as Seeker next but everyone was too impressed by Harry's big dick energy to laugh at this petty joke. But the next day he was back at it again, taunting the Potter twin's lack of a family.

Oh, about that coma situation. y/n had never seen Harry so relieved in her lifetime, his sister had managed to live holy shit what a miracle. And, evidently, both Harry and Ron caused a scene about the quidditch ban for y/n but with some persuasion about how it was only for the year - the debate was dropped.

Everyone was glad y/n was okay. That's all that matters. When they left the dungeons after Potions, y/n was delighted to see a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Why do you ask? Because it could only mean one thing...

"Hagrid!" y/n features brightened, an innocent glow radiating from her like a halo of an angel.

"y/n!" Hagrid joyfully said back.

"Hi Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out the way?" Came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose — that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family is used to." Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs. y/n was mid-action of holding Ron back from the snooty cuck.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you." Malfoy, Grabbe, and Goyle roughly pushed past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking. y/n scrunched up her nose, as if a putrid stench lingered in the air, long gone but contaminating the scene.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him—."

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Snape and Malfoy."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the kids followed Hagrid like ducklings to the great hall, where Professor McGonagall and Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations. y/n was stupefied, the hall looked spectacular! Holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls and no less than twelve Christmas trees stood around the room, sparkling with tiny icicles and some glittering with hundreds of candles. y/n absentmindedly admired the room, waving to Professor Flitwick who was helping decorate the Christmas trees with golden bubbles blossoming out his wand and becoming baubles on the new tree. He gleefully waved back. She faintly listened to Hermione tell Hagrid about how for the last few weeks they had been trying to find Nicolas Flamel's name and association in the library before she was tugged out her thoughts as Hermione trailed her along to the said library by the hand. Ever since Hagrid's slip up, they had been searching for any books for this mysterious "Flamel" name. Something related to what Snape trying to steal...

And honestly... It was really boring.

"God, I'm going to invent a catalog or something for this library so it's easier to find stuff." y/n said, searching for books like the subject of Magical Vases in Magical History. There was something about a goblet made of fire?... Not exactly a vase but you supposed it made the cut. "Or maybe unlimited knowledge for magic could be dangerous... I bet there are some especially dangerous spells or concepts in this library. Maybe some censorship for the greater good?..."

"y/n, what on earth are you muttering about?" Hermione grumbled, a bit grumpy at their lack of luck in finding anything. She peered over her book, eyebrows furrowed.

"Future invention ideas. I'm thinking like a magical computer or something," y/n said. "Or maybe a magical phone idea. Isn't owls - I don't know - a bit outdated?"

"Miss Potter, a library is no place for talking or discussing future invention ideas," y/n seized up and smiled nervously at Madam Pince, the librarian who appeared (like magic ) from behind her. "Unless you want any help finding anything, it's best you should leave. Go on." And that's how y/n had to wait in the corridor for five minutes for her friends to go to lunch. If only Madam Pince wasn't breathing down her neck, they could really have a nice long search. One day, y/n would act her revenge on the too strict librarian. One day.

Sooner or later, the holidays had started and Ron, y/n, and Harry had a bit too much time to think about Flamel. They had the dormitory all to themselves as the common room was far emptier than usual. Finally, y/n could sit in the good chairs by the fire! They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork - bread, English muffins, marshmallows - and plotting interesting and fun ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they never would have worked.

y/n was spending more time in Harry and Ron's dorm room as well, for she was the only one left in her dorm room. She was missing Hermione, even if she was gone for only a few weeks. This, however, did give Ron the time to teach Harry and y/n wizard chess - much like muggle chess but more violent and the figures were alive. Ron's set was old and battered, much like everything else he owned it belongs to someone else in his family - in this case, his grandfather.

On Christmas Eve, y/n slept in the boy's dorm room with Harry and Ron. She had her present for Harry ready and she had been preparing it for quite a while now. She would visit Hagrid on her own and croquet with him and her masterpiece was finally finished. A small croquet blue dragon with big floppy ears, black beady eyes, and green spikes trailing down its soft squishy spine. His name was Milk. But maybe apart from a present from Harry, y/n didn't expect a present at all. When she awoke, however, she saw a small pile of presents at the foot of her temporary bed and a similar pile next to Harry's. Naturally, y/n shit herself.

"Oh, my... GOD, HARRY WAKE UP!" y/n's pillow was basically a projectile as she dashed it at Harry's still sleeping torso; violently pushing him off the bed. What a wake-up call. "MERRY CHRISTMAS WE GOT PRESENTS!"

"Jesus woman! Why you have to be so loud?" Seamus said, groggily sitting up.

"Ow!" Harry said, "wait, presents?"

"Merry Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled from the floor and pulled on his bathrobe. "Bloody hel- you alright Harry?"

"I've got presents? We've got presents?" Harry said smiling, watching y/n jump around the room in excitement.

"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's and y/n combined.

"OH! Before I forget!" y/n sprinted out the room to her dorm, disappearing for a few minutes before coming back, out of breath, with a present wrapped with pink paper. "Merry Christmas Harry! His name is Milk."

"Milk?..." Harry mumbled out and unwrapped his present. His eyes sparkled like stars in awe. "Did you make this? He's so soft, thanks y/n! Here's mine." Harry reached from under his bed and placed a relatively heavy square-shaped present to y/n. He was grinning and placed Milk in his lap as he opened the rest of his presents. y/n dug in her own fair share of presents. Naturally, she opened Harry's first: it wasn't exactly wrapped, more like a shoebox with a touch of glamour and a ribbon but she nonetheless clapped excitedly at the contents. There was a book she hadn't read before, a small plushie of a baby chick, a jawbreaker, a rusty keychain with a grand pirate ship on it, and a thin leather bracelet with engraved flowers. A combination of little trinkets that y/n adored.

Next, she picked up a small parcel. Wrapped in brown paper and scrawled across it was: To y/n, from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut wooden frog with a mini baton beside it. y/n scraped the baton against the rugged frog's back and it mimicked a frog's croak. The next present was tiny. A biro-pen; half-used with no lid and some bite marks at the end of it. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.

"Not surprised honestly," Harry said, sharing y/n a look. "At least it's better than 50 pence." He held up his present, more feeble in thought than a sock without a pair.

"I know they weren't trying but... it's actually quite a good present," y/n started, twirling the pen. "I'm kinda sick of using a quill and some ink to write essays. Only wished they gave me Dudley's pencil case and not a pen, you know. I've been saying this for so long, Harry, wizards aren't as innovative as muggles!" Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence and pen.

"Weird!" he said, "That's supposed to be a quill and money? What a shape!"

"You can keep it," said Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron was. He judgingly looked at y/n and said her name. "y/n, it is only a pen."  
"Fair enough, here Ron, you can have this too," y/n never knew she could be so reluctant about giving away a pen, but considering she had no gifts for Ron and a pen was the future innovative incorporation for wizardkind, she passed it over. "Ron, swear on your life you won't lose it because you will never have to use an inkpot for essays again."

"I s-swear!" Ron promised, holding the pen rather tightly before continuing to open his pile of presents.

"Hagrid and our aunt and uncle — so who sent these?"

"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mum. I told her you didn't expect any presents and — oh no," he groaned, "she's made you both a Weasley sweater." y/n had torn open the parcel to find a thick hand-made sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge. Harry had the same. She hugged it tightly to her chest, her heart trembling. This was probably the best piece of clothing she owned and it took every fiber in her body to not cry like a baby.

"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."

"That's really nice of her," said Harry, trying the fudge along with y/n, which was very tasty. The next presents also contained candy - a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione and y/n had a few more presents than her brother. One was a present wrapped with a lot of tapes sat to one side and y/n opened it to reveal a pink handmade scarf - it wasn't amazing, with the thread tearing in places but y/n saw the effort put into it and appreciated it dearly. This must've taken a long time to finish. It came with a small card that said: Thank you for being nice to me, I tried my best with the present and I hope you like it. Not signed. Weird but y/n guessed she would be warm this winter with the number of woolly things she was being given. She wrapped it around her neck and snuggled into the lavender scent that wafted from the scarf.

Thanks, stranger. y/n thought to herself. I'll find you later.

And finally, that left two parcels, one for y/n and another for Harry. Harry picked his one up to find it was very light. He unwrapped it. Something fluid and silvery grey went slithering down to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped.

"Preetty," y/n slurred.

"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed tone, dropping his box of Every flavor beans he'd gotten from Hermione. "If that's what I think it is — they're really rare and valuable."

"What is it?" asked Harry, picking the mysterious sliver cloth from the floor.

"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, with a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is — try it on." Harry threw the cloth over his shoulder and Ron gave a yell.

y/n honestly thought she was dissociating - Harry's head was suspended in midair, his body completely invisible, and watched as he admired his floating head in the mirror. Pulling it over his head, he disappeared entirely.

"No way... that's so cool!"

"There's a more!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!" y/n grabbed the note and read the following loopy and narrow words:  
Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you two. Use it well. A very Merry Christmas to you two. - it seemed to be a recurring theme that no one would sign their bloody letters. y/n sighed passing it to Harry to read.

"I'd give anything for one of these," Ron said, admiring the cloak.

Before anything else could be said, the dormitory door slammed open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry hastily stuffed the cloak out of sight and y/n silently commanded him.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Hey, look — y/n and Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!

Fred and George were wearing fabulous blue sweaters with a large yellow F and the other G.

"Why aren't you wearing yours?"

"Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm." 

"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid -- we know we're called Gred and Forge."

"What's all this noise?" Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.

"P for Prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even y/n and Harry got there's one." 

"I - don't - want - " said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head knocking his glasses askew.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-marched Percy from his room, arms pinned to his side by his sweater. y/n was about to follow in their footsteps but Harry diligently reminded her of her remaining present.

"y/n, you've got a present left," Harry mentioned, hinting at the mysterious small present - so small you could fit into a pocket. And y/n did exactly that.

"Meh, I'll open it later but for now let's go have our First Christmas dinner!" y/n and Harry had never in all their lives had such a filling and tasty Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; a mountain of crispy roasted and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce -- and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along with the table. The fantastic party favors paled in comparison to the feeble Muggles crackers - with flimsy plastic toys and paper hats inside.

y/n pulled on of the wizard variants with Harry and it didn't just bang, it went off with a black like and cannon and engulfed them in a cloud of blue smoke. Up at the high table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.

Dessert followed the turkey and y/n watched with delight and great amusement as Hagrid got redder and redder as he drunk more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to y/n surprise, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.

y/n had spent one of the best afternoons of her life having a furious snowball fight on the grounds following the feast. Cold, wet, and gasping for breath, she returned to the fire in Gryffindor common room, laughing and running there, from Fred, as she sneakily took the last snowball throw while he was distracted and he, naturally, was seeking revenge! In the warm glow of the fire, the Weasley twins taught her how to Play Poker and betting on sweets found in the crackers and with presents. 

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifles, and Christmas Cake, everyone was too full and sleep to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor Tower because they stole his Prefect badge. Honestly, it was the best Christmas y/n had ever had and she assumed the same for Harry.

When y/n finally settled in her temporary bed in the boy's dorm, she realized she hadn't opened her final present, hopefully, a nice way to end her day. Unwrapping it in the shimmer of the moonlight, it was a little white box containing a small brooch of a... Lily... 

It unnerved her to say the least... Who could have possibly given her this? Was this supposed to be endearing? Yet again, unsigned from a mysterious sender. She merely sighed and began to fall asleep, though, in hindsight, she wished she had noticed Harry shuffle out of bed and accompany him to stumble on seeing a mirror with his parents on the other side of the reflection - her parents.

————

"Harryyyyy," y/n groaned, "why didn't you wake me up? They're my family too you know... I don't even know what my mum even looks like... I just know from what others have told me..."

"Yeah, you could have woken us up," said Ron crossly.

"You two can come tonight, I'm going back and I want to show you the mirror, especially you y/n," said Harry

"I'd go without an invisibility cloak honestly if it means seeing my parents... m-my family," y/n words wobbled, suddenly getting emotional at the possibility of seeing her parents.

"You really cry all the time, don't you y/n?" Ron mentioned - probably unintentionally insulting her but nonetheless, in a split second, that sadness changed to anger and the girl punched him roughly on the arm and stormed off from the breakfast table. "OW! It was just the truth!"

"You're a bit of an idiot Ron."

The night couldn't have come sooner and Harry slowly was retracing his steps to find the notorious mirror room Harry had found. For almost an hour, they were merely wondering Hogwart's dark passageways. Ron obviously complained and suggested to go back but the twins snapped at him; determined to find the room if it meant walking all night.

They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction and they saw no one else and Harry spotted a suit of armor. "It's here - just here - yes!"

They pushed the door open and Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran to the mirror. y/n hastily followed and lost her breath at the sight. Harry had been right; there, in the mirror, y/n was with at least ten others but two struck a chord with her the most. Her mum - green eyes like y/n and Harry, with dark red hair - crying and smiling simultaneously. Next to her was a tall, thin, black-haired man with an arm around her - wearing glasses and untidy hair - her dad. He smiled at y/n.

For the first time in her life, [y/n] was looking at her family, she couldn't even speak - how could she? Her parents - her actual parents were beaming at her - her... dead parents. She felt a deep ache of both joy and a pang of terrible sadness and was transfixed at the image. She tuned Ron and Harry's talking out, pressing her hand to the mirror, a forlorn gaze in her eye as she was transfixed by the reflection. Her eyes grew watery - she knew what her mother looked like. 

"...y/n." The said girl was knocked out of her trance as Harry said her y/n. "Could you move for a second and let Ron have a look."

"Y-yeah, sure..." y/n moved out the way, reluctancy in her movements. She couldn't stop peering at the mirror, blocking out Ron and Harry arguing over the silly thing... the mirror itself radiated magnificence and was as high as the ceiling with its golden ornate frame settled on two clawed feet. She then noticed the inscription: Erised stra enhru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

I wanna look longer... but it's not real... my parents are dead.

A sudden noise outside the corridor knocked the girl back into reality and ended the boy's discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.

"Quick!" Ron threw the cloak back over them just as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. y/n hopefully prayed the cloak worked on cats and after what seemed an age, Norris turned and left.

"This... isn't safe - she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on," y/n said, dragging both boys out of the room not before sparing one last look at the mirror and looked at the reflection of her parents. And that's when she saw the Lily brooch - it was on her father, identical. 

The lily brooch belonged to dad. 

The snow still hadn't melted the next morning and y/n decided firmly - she would not go back the following night. She shouldn't dwell on a dream that could never be, her parents were not alive to give her affection or the hugs she so deeply craved but that didn't mean she'd live a life devoid of affection. She had Harry, she still had a family even in the one. Around midday, she solidified this thought in her mind by hugging Harry.

"y/n are you okay? That was very random--" Harry started. 

y/n interrupted that thought.

"Harry, try not... to go back to the mirror."

"You sound just like Ron, why not?" Harry grumbled.

"What was in that mirror... It wasn't real. And you shouldn't pretend it is, we know what happened to our parents," y/n kept details to the minimum, for her sake and Harry's. 

"But we shouldn't dwell what could have been but think about... what we have now. And we have each other, it's not much but at least there is something."

"But don't you miss them too?..." Harry mumbled with a frown.

"I didn't know them enough to miss them but I would give the world too." y/n hugged Harry again and he hugged back even tighter. "I love you Harry and I'm glad you're my brother. If you go back to the mirror tonight, just know I understand why. I understand too well. Say hi to them for me, will you?"

"Yes, definitely," Harry said. "I love you too, y/n. I'm glad we have each other."

That was all that y/n need to hear


	12. a bunch of college kids smuggle out a dragon

Thankfully, Harry didn’t go back to the mirror of Erised for the rest of the Christmas holidays, his invisibility cloak folded at the bottom of his trunk. y/n had a wonderful time during the break: catching up on her reading and constantly having fun in the snow with her brother. once winter break had ended Hermione came back and was definitely less than pleased with their late-night activities ("what if Filch had caught you!").

“I heard Snape was refereeing tomorrow's match, wouldn't blame you if you wanted to drop out... How’s the Nicolas Flamel situation by the way?”

“Oh yeah, we found out who he was. Hermione's looking into it more,” Harry suddenly remembered like the thoughts hadn’t been plaguing him and his friends for months. “Hermione gave Neville a chocolate frog after Malfoy hexed him with a leg-log curse - he had to bunny hop all his way to the Gryffindor common room. It was hilarious! And on the card, it was our man, Nicolas Flamel. He made the Philosophers stone, it  
makes gold and stops people from dying. Big Deal apparently.”

”Cool, we’re getting places with the investigation. Sorry for not really helping as of late.” y/n replies, before slapping Harry’s forehead with her palm, sending him reeling backward. It wasn't a hard slap, rather a playful bop but the following SMACK and Harry gasping out in shock was enough for people to look over.

“What was that for!?”

“Your definition of hilarious is shit, by the way, Neville has done nothing wrong to deserve that curse. You shouldn’t have laughed at him.” She started, digging into her sausages that she left for last. “Speaking of which, Arrogant bitchass...” She glanced at Malfoy from across the room at the Slytherin's table, who was yawning sleepily into his palm. At that moment he wasn’t doing anything wrong but with how carefree he looked seemed to involuntarily piss y/n off. She had to refrain from flipping him the bird, feeling the eyes of many teachers flicker, and supervise the room that would most definitely catch her doing it. 

She would have to murder him later. If the opportunity arose. 

“What are you going to do when the quidditch match is on?” Harry said mid-chew of his scrambled eggs, recapturing his sister's attention. “It’s not like you can go. Bit of a shame really.”

”I don’t doubt your abilities but you haven’t won yet so don’t get cocky Harry, and... I’m actually not sure. Probably procrastinate in the common room,” y/n replied. “Break a leg tomorrow, you’re gonna need it with Snape breathing down your neck... Jeez, he’s so creepy...”

”Right? That’s what I’ve been saying all along,” Harry agreed with a nod. “He’s always glaring at us in lessons. Whenever he thinks no ones looking he's watching like a hawk. It's weird.”

y/n slumped in her chair with a drawn-out groan. “We have him next period... Gah, end meeeeeee.” After talking some more about their collective hatred for Snape’s creepy actions and looks, their favorite flavors of ice cream, and insight on the life of Bathilda's ongoing collection of random objects, breakfast concluded and lessons swiftly dawned - a usual day at Hogwarts if Neville exploding a cauldron in potions and getting bit by a plant in herbology was considered a normal occurrence. 

————

"Ron, I'm not going to lie to you, you like shit," y/n bluntly said. "Let me guess... Malfoy insulted you and you ripped his throat out?"

It was following the Quidditch match, Ron was beaming, albeit with a bloody nose stuffed with red-stained tissues, and the rest of the Gryffindor students entered the dorm glowing with pride. Gryffindor had won then. She had been conditioned to the common room while the Quidditch Match went underway - prohibited from leaving as all teachers and students, except her, were at the match. It was only for an hour  
so it wasn't awful.

"How'd you know?" Ron said gruffly.

"I'm actually psychic. More importantly... Did you win?" y/n queried, lips pulled into a sneaky grin.

"Who do you think I am? Neville?" Ron huffed before slumping into the chair next to her. "...I won. But we found out that Snape is forcing Quirrel to get the Philosopher's Stone and he needs him to get past Fluffy and there could be other enchantments protecting the Stone as well. Quirrell's sticking up to him so as long as he does that, then the stone will be fine. I'm telling you, y/n he'll last a week."

"come on, Ronnie, Quirrel could be a real fighter for all we know," y/n jested, before punching Ron's arm, rather weakly but with intent. "Also, don't be cheeky, Neville is in Gryffindor for a reason. How's your bromance with my brother?"

"How's your marriage with Hermione?" Ron spat back, y/n turned a deep red before punching his arm again, harder this time.

"Hit a nerve?" Ron was smirking.

"Ronald Ronald Ronald, you really break my heart, you know that?" y/n gave a dramatic weep and flung herself over Ron's lap, quickly recovering from her embarrassment. "Date my brother over me? I don't think my heart can ever heal from this tragedy!"

"Yes, such a tragedy, how could I live with myself?" Ron didn't sound impressed and got up, sliding away from y/n flamboyant show of affection, and made a beeline to the boy's dorm rooms. "and don't call me Ronald, it's weird."

"Hey! You didn't deny it!" y/n sung a hum and Ron flipped her a finger. 

"Bye y/n." 

y/n gave a laugh and sunk back into her chair. Ron always seemed disinterested in y/n antics, something the girl liked the challenge to annoy him as much as possible without tipping the short-tempered boy that was Ron. She felt drowsy at the gentle, warm, orange flow from the fireplace. She took off her brooch - the Lily brooch her father gifted her at Christmas by an anonymous sender, and simply twirled it in her fingers tips as the evening gradually darkened into the winter night. That moment of peace was something she could get used to. Quiet, something bubbly and light in the air. She frowned. She was only delaying the worse yet to come.

————

y/n knew she was always right but this was pushing it.

in the weeks that followed Slytherin's pitiful loss, there were no signs that the philosopher's stone was gone. Quirrell got thinner and paler but the man hadn't cracked. every time the four of them walked past the third-floor corridor y/n strained her ears to make sure her favorite cuddly monster was still slobbering up a storm inside. he was and snape was in a bad of a mood as usual so Surely that meant the stone was safe

while Ron, harry, and y/n were worrying about the first (and hopefully not last ) magical heist of y/n's school career, Hermione was fretting over study schedules and was trying to get them to do the same.

"Minney, I love you but there are more pressing matters besides, exams are ages away"

"ten weeks" Hermione snaps "that's not ages that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel"

"but there's literally an evil magic criminal in the school, when are we ever gonna see that again"

to the chagrin of most students, the teachers were thinking just like Hermione. they gave out mountains of homework that y/n and Hermione watched Ron and harry drown in. it was hard to relax with the boys moaning and whining about their work, harry and Ron spent most of their time in the library with them completing it.

"ill never remember this" Ron burst out one afternoon throwing down his pen and looking longingly out the window

"hey! careful, that's the only pen within 160 kilometers of this place"

the others didn't pay much attention to y/n until they heard y/n say, "Hagrid! what are you doing in the library"

at that they all turned in the direction y/n was looking to see hagrid in his moleskin overcoat hiding something behind his back and looking incredibly out of place.

"jus' lookin', " he said shiftily, well that certainly piqued their interest "an' what're you lot up to, ter? not still lookin" fer nicolas flamel are yeh?"

"Please, we figured it out ages ago," y/n said smugly, ages may have been an exaggeration but, he didn't need to know that.

"and we know what that dogs guarding, the sorcerers s-"

"shhhhh" hagrid quickly cut harry off and looked around quickly to make sure that no one was listening "don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"there are a few things we wanted to ask you as matter of fact, about what's guarding the stone other than fluffy-"

"SHHHH," said hagrid again "listen - come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' ill tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin about it in here students aren' s'pposed ter know they'll think I told yeh"

"well, you kinda did-" Harry cut her off "we'll see you later hagrid"

Hagrid shuffled off

"what was he hiding behind his back?" asked Hermione inquisitively

"you think it had something to do with the stone"

"I'm gonna see which section he was in," said Ron who was fed up with working. he came back a minute later with an arm full of books that he promptly dropped on the table

"dragons" he whispered "Hagrid was looking up stuff on dragons! look dragon species of great Britain an Ireland, from egg to inferno, a dragon keepers guide"

"wait, so you're telling me there's a whole section on dragons and Hermione's been making me come here to study potions. what the hell!" 

"hagrid's always wanted a dragon he told me so," Harry said ignoring his seething sister

"but it's against the law," said Ron "dragons breeding was outlawed by the warlocks convention of 1709, everyone knows that." she took his word for it, if Ron remembered anything about history it was probably common knowledge. "and it's not like you can train them anyway, it's dangerous. you should see the burns Charles gotten from wild ones in Romania."

"but aren't their wild dragons in Britain"

"of course they are," said Ron "common welsh green and Hebridean black, but the ministry does a good job of hushing them up I can tell you our kind have to keep putting spells on muggles to make them forget."

"so what on earth's hagrid up to?"

————

when they knocked on hagrid's front door an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. hagrid called "who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them. it was like a steam room inside the hut, it may have been a warm day but this was much hotter than it could have ever been outside, and there was a blazing fire going as hagrid offered them tea and sandwiches witch they all declined

"so - yeh wanted to ask me somethin' "

"yes," Harry said incredibly bluntly "we were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the sorcerer's stone other than fluffy"

Hagrid frowned at them

"O' course I can't," he said "number one, i don" know meself. number two, yeh know too much already, so i wouldn' tell yeh if I could. that stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts - i s'ppose you've already worked that out, beats me how you even know abou' fluffy."

"funny story-" Hermione gave y/n a sharp kick, she winced "that we can tell you later. but come on hagrid you may not want to tell us but you know, you know everything that goes on at Hogwarts" hagrid beard twitched she could tell he was smiling

what do you know a little flattery goes a long way. apparently, Flitwick, sprout, McGonagall, Quirrell, snape and even dumbledore pitched in to protect this thing and y/n would love to believe this is proof that snape's not up to no good but you know don't know, a guy dresses and acts like a human bat and he seems pretty likely to be a thief. good news though even snape couldn't get his greasy self past fluffy if he wanted to, only hagrid and dumbledore know how to get past him

"thank you hagrid - very telling - but, what is that" she already knew what it was though, sitting in the middle of a blazing fire was a big black egg.

"ah," said hagrid fiddling nervously with his beard "that's um-"

"where'd you get it," asked Ron crouching over the fire to get a closer look "it must have cost you a fortune"

"won it, " said hagrid "las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. was probably glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"but what are you going to do with it when it hatches?" asked Hermione

apparently hagrid was quite prepared for that. he pulled a large book out from under his even larger pillow and began listing off all the things he'd need to do to keep a baby dragon happy. but it seems like he overlooked one simple thing...

"hagrid you live in a wooden house" but Hagrid wasn't listening he was humming merrily as he stroked the fire

great, now they had something else to worry about: what might happen if someone found out hagrid was hiding a very illegal very dangerous dragon in his hut.

————

unfortunately for them, they didn't have to worry about keeping the dragon a secret for long. because the hatching came and went and directly after Norbert's birth goddamn Malfoy had seen it happen and then ran right back up to the castle-like the weasel he is.

————

something about Malfoys smug face during the upcoming week really pissed y/n off. harry, y/n, Hermione, and Ron spent most of the week hiding out in hagrid's hut trying to convince him to get rid of the damn dragon.

"Just let him go," Harry urged "set him free"

"I can't," said hagrid "he's too little he'd die" they looked at the dragon. it had grown three times in just a week but was still just small enough to fit in hagrid's arms

"hagrid, I love you, but look at him, he could eat Ron" y/n ignored Ron's offended look "give him two weeks and he'll be as big as your house, and Malfoy could go snitch on us at any moment"

Hagrid bit his lip

"I - I know I can't keep him forever but I can't jus' dump him, I can't"

there was a pause, then y/n wiped around to Ron "Charley!"

"she losing it" Ron whispered to Harry "I'm Ron remember"

"no you dolt, your brother Charley, in Romania. studying dragons. we could send Norbert to him and then we don't have to worry about hagrid going to wizard jail"

"brilliant," said Ron "how about it hagrid"

and through a bit of convincing hagrid agreed that sending Norbert to Charley was the best choice. Wednesday night they found out that Charlie and his friends were more than willing to help out, for some reason and they were due to pick up Norbert at midnight on Sunday. unfortunately, Ron got injured so badly by Norbert he had to go to Madam Pomfrey, and Draco asked to borrow a book as an excuse to go laugh at him and borrowed the book with Charlie's note in it

"Ron you fucking disappointment" was the last thing y/n said before madam Pomfrey ushered them out of the hospital wing

so because Ron messed up they had to sneak around with the added anxiety of Draco snitching on them. thankfully though they were getting closer by the minute 

"nearly there" harry panted as they reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower, but they all stopped dead in their tracks as they noticed movement up ahead. y/n nearly laughed in pure delight at the sight in front of her, professor McGonagall dressed in a tartan bathrobe dragging one Draco Malfoy by the ear

"detention!" she shouted, "and twenty points from Slytherin, wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you-"

"you don't understand professor the potters are coming - they've got a dragon!"

"What utter rubbish! how dare you tell such lies! come on - I shall see professor snape about you, Malfoy!"

after that wonderful show, the quartet quickly scurried up to the tower and promptly pulled off the cloak

"I can't believe it" y/n started gleefully "not only are we gonna get away with this, but Malfoy's got detention. oh Minnie, this is just too good to be true" y/n lazily draped herself on Hermione back 

ignoring her antics they all waited and about ten minutes later four broomsticks came swooping out of the darkness. charlie and his friends quickly attached Norbert to a harness to carry him between the brooms. they all helped buckle Norbert safely in and thanked the boys for all their help.

at last, Norbert was going...going...gone

they slipped back down the spiral staircase, wanting to get back to safety as quickly as possible. unfortunately, as they stepped into the corridor filches face loomed suddenly out of the darkness

"well, well, well," he whispered "we are in trouble"

and that's when y/n's heart dropped into her stomach as she realized

they'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower.


	13. my unicorn blood brings all the boys to the yard

'apparently, God hates me'

filch dragged them all the way down the McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat waiting and not saying a word. y/n's mind was going a mile a minute trying to think of good excuses, alibies, or wild cover-up stories to use, each one more ridiculous than the last. this what it, there was no way to get out of trouble this time. how could she have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? she was supposed to be the smart twin, but now she could practically hear the Dursleys screeching as she sat there...

no, even if she got expelled she would never go back to the Dursleys, a couple of months she could handle, but all year round was too long. professor McGonagall appeared, dragging Neville in with her.

"y/n" Neville burst out the moment he saw them "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you that you had a drag-" y/n stared intently at Neville trying her best to communicate what she was thinking 

'shut the fuck up!'

if Neville got her message y/n wouldn't know, because McGonagall had seen her and looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over them.

"I would have never believed it of any of you. Mr. filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one in the morning. explain yourselves."

it was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher. she stared at her slippers as still as a statue. 

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Profesor McGonagall "it doesn't take a genius to work it out. you'd fed Mr. Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. iv already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it too?"

y/n caught Neville's eye s and tried to tell him that it wasn't true because Neville was looking stunned. the same nice girl who had helped him in charms class had let him get caught up in her and her friend's practical joke.

"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "four students out of bed in one night" professor McGonagall's rant was scathing, she went on about how disappointed she was how 'she though Gryffindor meant more to us'. she may not seem like it but y/n was taking this pretty hard, she was embarrassed, not that she did something wrong, but that she got her and her friends caught for it and all because she forgot to grab the damn invisibility cloak. McGonagall gave us detention but even worse she took away fifty house points each. 

a hundred and fifty house points were lost in one night. which put Gryffindor in very last for the house cup. in one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor might have had of winning the house cup, y/n didn't even think she could fix this.

but she'd be damned if she didn't try.

"Hermione this is bad" y/n rambled as they sat in the girl dormitory "as in everyone's gonna fucking kill us bad"

"calm down, honestly" Hermione tried to keep a cool head through y/n could tell that she was just as panicked as her 

"no, no, your right. this isn't the end of any social careers we may have had... we can fix this"

Hermione turned to her with an inquisitive look "we can"

"yes we can" y/n grabbed her shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes "by doing what we do best, upstaging everyone in class"

Hermione's eyes flashed with realization

"you are like, the smartest person I know, Minney, we lost a hundred and fifty points. so we just have to win them back, easy."

————

the next morning every Gryffindor who passed the giant hourglass assumed there was some mistake. how could they have lost so many points in one night... then word of the twin's escapades got around: the potter twins saviors of the land had lost those points with a couple of other stupid first years.

the twins went from being famous to outcasts in less than twenty-four hours, not even the Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaws would talk to them (which was a real shame, the Ravenclaws had the best book recommendations). everywhere y/n went people pointed and didn't even bother to lower their voices as they insulted her. Slytherins on the other hand clapped as she walked past, whistling, and cheering, "thanks potter we owe you one." (y/n didn't like to stereotype but she was starting to hate most Slytherins)

Minney was the only friend who stood with her.

they both worked their asses off to do better in class. answering any question they could in most classes and staying as quiet as possible in potions, the last thing they needed was slimy snape deducting more house points. y/n just wanted to earn back her house points and try to regain a semblance of her honor. that day after she lost those points y/n made a promise to never ever interfere in something that wasn't her business again.

————

y/n was always bad at keeping promises

her and harry were walking back from the library one afternoon, and they heard whimpering from a classroom up ahead. as they drew closer the heard Quirrell voice

"no - no - not again, please"

it sounded as if someone was threatening him. y/n moved closer

"all right - all right -" she heard Quirrell sob

the next second, Quirrell came striding out of the classroom fixing his turban. he was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. y/n and harry peered into the room, no one was inside, but the door at the other end of the room was slightly ajar. y/n would bet twelve sorcerers stones that snape had just left that room, and from what she had just heard snape would be walking with a spring in his step - Quirrell seemed to have given in.

"Ronald I take it back, Quirrell a weak bastard." the twins told them everything they'd heard.

"snape's done it then," Ron said, "if squirrels told him how to break his anti-dark force spell -"

"were fucked!"

"theirs still fluffy, though," said Hermione

"Mabey Snape's found out how to get past him asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet theirs a book in here some wear about how to get past a giant three-headed dog. so what do we do harry?"

Ron had a stupid gleam in his eyes but Hermione answered before Harry could.

"go to Dumbledore. that's what we should have done ages ago."

"Minney that's fair, but come on who wouldn't want to catch slimy snape in the middle of stealing the sorcerer's stone, because I for one would love that." y/n raised her hand proudly, Hermione lowered it for her.

"if we try anything for ourselves well be thrown out for sure"

"But we've got no proof!" said harry "Quirrell too scared to back us up. snape's only got to say that he doesn't know how the troll got in on Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor - who do you think they'll believe him or us? y/n acts like she'd hex him half the day - "

"that's right!" y/n backed up her twin

"Dumbledore will think he made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us to save his life, he's too friendly with snape, and the more students that get thrown out, the better, he'll think. and don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the stone or fluffy. that'll take a lot of explaining."

Hermione looked thoroughly convinced but Ron didn't.

"If we just do a bit of poking around -"

"no, we're done poking around." harry said flatly, he pulled an astronomy chart to himself and began working.

————

the next morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione, y/n, and Nevill at the breakfast table. they were all the same:

your detention will take place at eleven o clock tonight. meet Mr.Filch in the entrance hall.

professor m. mcgonogall

y/n had completely forgotten they had detention, too caught up in the humiliation of losing so many points in one night. she thought Hermione was going to complain the whole day about losing a whole night of studying, but she said nothing. Hermione felt they deserved their punishment.

at eleven o clock that night, they said goodbye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance all with Nevill. filch was already there and so was Malfoy. y/n also forgot Malfoy had gotten detention too.

"Follow me," said filch who began leading them outside.

"I bet you think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said leering at them. "oh yes ... hard work hard work, and pain are the best teachers if you ask me ... it's just a pity they let the old punishment die out ... hang you by your wrist on the ceiling for a few days"

"a few days! did they send me to prison instead of a school?" filch glared at y/n.

"quit you winning, sadly you won't be using the chains, but I've got 'em all oiled up in case they're needed" 

if y/n ever got the chance she was going to have a long talk with dumbledor. more specifically, about why he thought it was a good idea to have someone on the payroll who so blatantly hates children. she could say the same about snape but, that creep could be a whole talk on his own.

They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. the moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, y/n could see the lighted windows of Hagrid’s hut. Then they heard a distant shout.

“Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started.” y/n's heart rose; if they were going to be  
working with Hagrid it couldn’t be that bad.

her relief must have shown in his face, because Filch said, “I suppose you think you’ll be enjoying  
yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy — it’s into the forest you’re going and I’m much mistaken if  
you’ll all come out in one piece.” At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks. 

“The forest?” he repeated, and he didn’t sound quite as cool as usual. “We can’t go in there at night — there are all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard.” Neville clutched the sleeve of y/n’s robe and made a choking noise.

“That’s your problem, isn’t it?” said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. 

“Should’ve thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn’t you?” Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder. “Abou’ time,” he said. “I bin waitin’ fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione? What about you Y/n?” 

“you shouldn’t be too friendly to them, Hagrid,” said Filch coldly, “they’re here to be punished, after all.” 

“That’s why yer late, is it?” said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. “Bin lecturin’ them, eh? ‘Snot your place ter do that. Yeh’ve done yer bit, I’ll take over from here.” 

“I’ll be back at dawn,” said Filch, “for what’s left of them,” he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness. 

Malfoy now turned to Hagrid. “I’m not going in that forest,” he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.

“Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts,” said Hagrid fiercely. “Yeh’ve done wrong an’ now yeh’ve got ter pay fer it.” 

“But this is servant stuff, it’s not for students to do. I thought we’d be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he’d—” 

“—tell yer that’s how it is at Hogwarts,” Hagrid growled. “Copyin’ lines! What good’s that ter anyone? Yeh’ll do summat useful or yeh’ll get out. If yeh think yer father’d rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an’ pack. Go on.” Malfoy didn’t move. He looked at Hagrid furiously but then dropped his gaze. “Right then,” said Hagrid, “now, listen carefully, ‘cause it’s dangerous what we’re gonna do tonight, an I don’ want no one takin’ risks. Follow me over here a moment.”

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest. 

“Look there,” said Hagrid, “see that stuff shinin’ on the ground? Silvery stuff? That’s unicorn blood. There’s a unicorn in their bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We’re gonna try an’ find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery.” 

“And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?” said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice. 

“There’s nothin’ that lives in the forest that’ll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang,” said Hagrid. “An’ keep ter the path. Right, now, we’re gonna split inter two parties an’ follow the trail in diff’rent directions. There’s blood all over the place, it must’ve bin staggerin’ around since last night at least.” 

“I want Fang,” said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang’s long teeth. 

“All right, but I warn yeh, he’s a coward,” said Hagrid. “So me, Harry, Y/n, an’ Hermione’ll go one way an’ Draco, Neville, an’ Fang’ll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we’ll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an’ practice now — that’s it — an’ if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an’ we’ll all come an’ find yeh — so, be careful — let’s go.”

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, Y/n, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right. They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves. Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.

“Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?” y/n asked. 

“Not fast enough,” said Hagrid. “It’s not easy ter catch a unicorn, they’re powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before.”

They walked past a mossy tree stump. y/n could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path. 

“You all right, kids?” Hagrid whispered. “Don’ worry, it can’t’ve gone far if it’s this badly hurt, an’ then we’ll be able ter — GET BEHIND THAT TREE!” Hagrid - somehow - seized Harry, y/n, and Hermione hoisting them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.

“I knew it,” he murmured. “There’s summat in here that shouldn’ be.” 

“A werewolf?” Harry suggested. 

“That wasn’ no werewolf an’ it wasn’ no unicorn, neither,” said Hagrid grimly. “Right, follow me, but careful, now.” They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.

“Who’s there?” Hagrid called. “Show yerself — I’m armed!” And into the clearing came — was it a man, or a horse? To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse’s gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry y/n and Hermione’s jaws dropped.

“Oh, it’s you, Ronan,” said Hagrid in relief. “How are yeh?” He walked forward and shook the centaur’s hand. 

“Good evening to you, Hagrid,” said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. “Were you going to shoot me?” 

“Can’t be too careful, Ronan,” said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. “There’s summat bad loose in this forest. This is Hermione Granger, Harry an’ y/n Potter by the way. Students up at the school. An’ this is Ronan, you three. He’s a centaur.” 

“Yeah, we noticed,” said y/n faintly. 

“Good evening,” said Ronan. “Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?” 

“uh —” 

“A bit,” said Hermione timidly. 

“We’re learning lots! never a dull moment at Hogwarts,” said harry.

“It’s nice to see an excited student,” Ronan said. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. 

“Mars is bright tonight.”

"Yeah,” said Hagrid, glancing up, too."

“Listen, I’m glad we’ve run inter yeh, Ronan, ‘cause there’s a unicorn bin hurt — you seen anythin’?” Ronan didn’t answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again. “Always the innocent are the first victims,” he said. “So it has been for ages past, so it is now.” 

'what'

“Yeah,” Hagrid said, as if that meant something, “but have yeh seen anythin’, Ronan? Anythin’ unusual?” 

“Mars is bright tonight,” Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. “Unusually bright.”

“Yeah, but I was meanin’ anythin’ unusual a bit nearer home,” said Hagrid. “So yeh haven’t noticed anythin’ strange?” Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer.

At last, he said, “The forest hides many secrets.” A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and - bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan. 

“Hullo, Bane,” said Hagrid. “All right?” 

“Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?”

“Well enough. Look, I’ve jus’ bin askin’ Ronan, you seen anythin’ odd in here lately? There’s a unicorn bin injured — would yeh know anythin’ about it?” Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. “Mars is bright tonight,” he said simply. 

“We’ve heard,” said Hagrid grumpily. “Well, if either of you do see anythin’, let me know, won’t yeh? We’ll be off, then." Harry, y/n, and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.

“Never,” said Hagrid irritably, “try an’ get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin’ closer’n the moon.”

“Are there many of them in here?” asked Hermione. 

“Oh, a fair few… Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they’re good enough about turnin’ up if ever I want a word. They’re deep, mind, centaurs… they know things… jus’ don’ let on much."

"that an understatement, buncha weirdos."

“D’you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?” said Harry.

“Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what’s bin killin’ the unicorns – never heard anythin’ like it before.” They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking nervously over his shoulder. 

she had the nasty feeling they were being watched. He was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid’s arm. 

“Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!”

“You guys wait here!” Hagrid shouted. “Stay on the path, I’ll come back for yeh!” They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn’t hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them. 

“You don’t think they’ve been hurt, do you?” whispered Hermione.

“I don’t give a damn if Malfoy was, but, if something’s got, Neville… it’s our fault he’s here in the first place.” y/n was starting to feel guilt tug at her.

The minutes dragged by. Y/n had brought her wand with her and was prepared to take anyone down. “You brought your wand?” asked Hermione.

“I’ve been learning some spells in cases something bad happened or if one of the other students decided to pull some magic prank,” whispered Y/n.

Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Harry’s seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others? At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid’s return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks. 

"Jesus Malfoy, this is why no one likes you"

“We’ll be lucky ter catch anythin’ now, with the racket you two were makin’. Right, we’re changin’ groups — Neville, you stay with me an’ Hermione, Harry, Y/n, you go with Fang an’ this idiot. I’m sorry,” Hagrid added in a whisper to the twins, “but he’ll have a harder time frightenin’ you, an’ we’ve gotta get this done.” So they set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. 

They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest until the path became almost  
impossible to follow because the trees were so thick.

"This must be just oh so hard for you Malfoy"y/n sneered. Malfoy had caused nothing but trouble tonight and she wanted to get back at him. "having to walk through the deep dark scary woods without your daddy to save you."

"sod off potter"

“Look —” harry murmured, catching the two's attention. Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer. It was the unicorn alright, and it was dead. y/n had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves. Y/n ran to the unicorn and began inspecting its wounds.

“oh, you poor thing -” Y/n whispered as she pressed her forehead against the animal's head. Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered… Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. 

Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal’s side, and began to drink its blood.

“Y/n come back!” shouted Harry.

Y/n looked down and saw the monster, the girl was frozen in fear. The monster pushed her down and bit the unicorn's side.

“AAAAAAAAAARGH!” Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted — so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry — unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry — he didn't move. as it reached out to him harry staggered back, seemingly in pain. y/n heard hooves and suddenly, a centaur jumped clean over Harry, charging at the figure. pushing it back towards wear y/n knelt next to the unicorn. 

Harry fell to his knees right as the creature turned to grab y/n.

y/n kicked and screamed, struggling as the monster tried to drag her through the woods. y/ns nails dirtied as she dug them into the dirt. her neck was burning red hot, an intense pain that she couldn't place. in a desperate attempt at survival, y/n grabbed her wand, aiming for what she assumed was the head.

"Flipendo!" 

the creature was knocked back just enough for y/n to get on her feet and run. and she did going as fast as her legs could carry her, finding her way back to the path and her brother. scar still stinging Y/n limped back into the clearing with her wand drawn, covered in scrapes and bruises. Firenze walked up to her

“This must be the other potter child.” harry quickly ran to her aid looking over y/ns wounds. 

"are you hurt"

“Whatever that creature was tried to take me with it and I fucking shot it in the head.” harry seemed to relax a bit. if y/n was still cursing like a sailor she couldn't be that badly hurt.

The Centaurus went back to arguing apparently none of them cared y/n had just been attacked by a wannabe Junji ito monster.

“You can climb on and I’ll take you out of the forest,” said Firenze

“You still act like a mule?!” shouted Bane.

“Do you not see that unicorn? Do you see the potter girl's wounds?” Firenze bellowed at Bane. “Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must.” Firenze whisked around after he picked up Y/n’s injured body; with Harry clutching on as best he could, they plunged off into the trees, leaving Bane behind them. 

“Why’s Bane so angry?” Harry asked. “What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?” Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry to keep his head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Harry’s question. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Harry thought Firenze didn’t want to talk to him anymore. 

They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped. 

“Harry Potter, Y/n Potter do you know what unicorn blood is used for?”

“No,” said Harry, the question startled him. “We’ve only used the horn and tail hair in Potions.” 

“That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn,” said Firenze. “Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.” Harry stared at the back of Firenze’s head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight. 

“who'd get that desperate?” Y/n wondered aloud. “in my opinion deaths better than being cursed forever.” 

“It is,” Firenze agreed, “unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else — something that will bring you back to full strength and power — something that will mean you can never die. Mr and Miss Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?” 

“The Sorcerer’s Stone! Of course — the Elixir of Life! But I don’t understand who —” 

“Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?” It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around y/n's heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told him on the night they had met: “Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.”

“perfect,” y/n croaked, “I was almost killed by Vol- ” 

“y/n! Harry, are you all right? Oh my god! Y/n you’re hurt!” Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.

“I’m fine,” said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. 

“I'm not, but ill life,” said Y/n. "tell me, wheres Malfoy? that bastard left us for dead."

“The unicorn’s dead, Hagrid, it’s in that clearing back there.” 

“This is where I leave you,” Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. “You are safe now.”

Harry slid off his back and Y/n jumped on her right foot. 

“Good luck, Harry and y/n potter,” said Firenze. “The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times.” He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving y/n shivering behind him. 

y/n was tired of visiting the hospital wing.


	14. flying Keys, concussions, and poison

In years to come, Y/n would never quite remember how shed managed to get through her exams when she half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment. Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.

It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti Cheating spell. They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tapdance across a desk.

Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox- points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was but taken away if it had whiskers. 

Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion. Y/n and Harry did the best they could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in their forehead and wrist, which had been bothering them ever since their trip into the forest. y/n's dorm mates thought y/n had a bad case of exam nerves because y/n couldn’t sleep, but the truth was that y/n kept being woken by nightmares of the hooded figures attack.

maybe it was because they hadn’t seen what Harry and Y/n had seen in the forest, or because they didn’t have scars burning, but Ron and Hermione didn’t seem as worried about the Stone as the duo. The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn’t keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn’t have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to. 

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who’d invented self-stirring cauldrons and they’d be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, y/n couldn’t help cheering with the rest.

“That was far easier than I thought it would be,” said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. 

“It was, I guess we didn’t need to learn about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager.” agreed Y/n.

Hermione always likes to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

“No more studying,” Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. “You could look more cheerful, Harry, we’ve got a week before we find out how badly we’ve done, there’s no need to worry yet.” 

Harry was rubbing his forehead while Y/n rubbed her sore neck.

“Why does this have to be so confusing!” she burst out angrily. “My scar keeps hurting - can't it just tell me what's wrong instead of giving me neck pain.”

“Go to Madam Pomfrey,” Hermione suggested.

“were not ill,” said Harry.

“I’m always with Madam Pomfrey,” added Y/n. “I think it’s a warning… it means danger’s coming…” 

did y/n mention that she hated being right?

"where are you going?" Ron asked sleepily as y/n jolted up.

"I've just thought of something" y/n turned pale "we've got to see Hagrid, now."

"why" panted harry hurrying to catch up.

"none of you find it a little suspicious," y/n said matching up the grassy slope "that a dragon egg - the one thing hagrid wants the most - just happens to turn up in a stranger's pocket. quite convenient Hagrid found someone who broke wizarding law, don't you think? oh, how could I be so stupid."

"what are you talking about?" said Hermione but, but y/n, sprinting across the grounds towards hagrid's hut, said nothing.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"hullo" he said, smiling "finished yer exams? got time fer a drink?"

"yes please -" but y/n cut him off

"Ron you gluttonous bastard, stay focused. hagrid the night you won Norbert, do you remember what the stranger you won him from looked like?"

"dunno," said Hagrid casually "he wouldn' take his cloak off" he saw the four of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.

"it's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the hog's head - that's one o' the pubs down in the village. mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up." y/n sank down near the bowl of peas.

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember "yeah...he asked what I did, an' I told him I was a gamekeeper here...he asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after...so I told him...an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon...an' then...I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... let's see...yeah, then he said he had a dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted...but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home...so I told him after fluffy, any dragon would be easy..."

"and did he seem, interested in fluffy?" y/n asked trying to calm herself.

"well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? so I told him, fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeah know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' hell go straight of teh sleep-" hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

that's all y/n needed to hear.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out "forget I said it! hey - where're yeh goin'?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and y/n didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"we've got to go to dumbledore," said harry "hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either snape or Voldemort under that cloak - it must've been easy, once he got hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if bane doesn't stop him. wheres dumbledores office?"

Sadly Dumbledore was no wear to be found. according to Professor McGonagall Dumbledore was called to London by the ministry of magic, tonight of all nights. at that point, the only thing the four could do is grab the stone before Snape could.

“We’d better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us-- if Filch spots our feet wandering along on their own--”

“What are you doing?” said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he’d be making another bid for freedom.

“Nothing, Neville, nothing,” said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back. Neville stared at their guilty faces.

“You’re going out again,” he said.

“No, no, no,” said Hermione. “No, we’re not. Why don’t you go to bed, Neville?” y/n looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn’t afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.

“You can’t go out,” said Neville, “you be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble.”

“Neville,” said y/n, “I love you but this is too important for you to fuck up for us.” But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.

“I won’t let you do it,” he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. “I’ll- I’ll fight you!”

“Neville,” Ron exploded, “get away from that hole and don’t be an idiot--”

“Don’t you call me an idiot!” said Neville. “I don’t think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!”

“Yes, but not us,” said Ron in exasperation. “Neville, you don’t know what you’re doing.” He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.

“Go on then, try and hit me!” said Neville, raising his fists. “I’m ready!”

Harry turned to Hermione and Y/n.

“Do something,” he said desperately.

“Neville I'm not gonna hit you, you're like a teddy bear,” said Y/n as she took a step towards Neville brandishing her wand. “No hard feelings.”

“Petrificus Totalus!”

Neville’s arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and fell flat on his face, stiff as aboard. Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville’s jaws were jammed together so he couldn’t speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.

“What’ve you done to him?” Harry whispered.

“It’s the full Body-Bind,” said Hermione miserably. “Oh Neville, we’re so sorry.” 

“We had to, Neville, no time to explain,” said Harry

“You’ll understand later, Neville,” said Ron

"sucks to suck." said y/n, as they stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak.

But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn’t feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue’s shadow looked like Filch, ever distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.

“Oh, let’s kick her, just this once,” Ron whispered in Harry’s ear, but Harry shook his head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp-like eyes on them but didn’t do anything.

They didn't’ meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

“Who’s there?” he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes.

“Know you’re there, even if I can’t see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?”

“Peeves what’re you doing to that carpet?” asked Y/n in a gruff deep voice. 

“Nothing,” said the man giggling.

“Did you know Peeves that Mr. Baron has his own reasons for being invisible,” said Y/n. Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs. 

“So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir,” he said greasily. “My mistake, my mistake-- I didn’t see you-- of course I didn’t, you’re invisible-- forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir.”

“I have business here, Peeves,” croaked Harry, playing along to Y/n’s act. “Stay away from this place tonight.”

“I will, sir, I most certainly will,” said Peeves, rising up in the air again. “Hope your business goes well, Baron, I’ll not bother you.” and he scooted off.

“either were really good at baron impression, or peeves is really dumb.” whispered y/n. A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor-- and the door was already ajar.

“Well, there you are,” Harry said quietly, “Snape’s already got past Fluffy." Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all four of them what they were facing. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the other three.

“If you want to go back, I won’t blame you,” said Harry. “You can take the cloak, I won’t need it now."

“Don’t be stupid,” said y/n.

“We’re coming,” said Hermione.

“We’re in this together,” added Ron.

Harry pushed the door open.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog’s noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn’t see them.

"What’s that at its feet?” Hermione whispered.

“Looks like a harp,” said Ron. “Snape must have left it there.”

“It must wake up the moment you stop playing,” said Harry. “Well, here goes…” He put Hagrid’s flute to his lips and blew. It wasn’t really a tune, but from the first note, the beast’s eyes began to droop. Slowly, the dog’s growls ceased-- it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

“Keep doing it,” Ron warned as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog’s hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads.

“I think we’ll be able to pull the door open,” said Ron, peering over the dog’s back. “Want to go first, Hermione?”

“No, I don’t!”

“All right.” Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog’s legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and opens.

“What can you see?” Hermione said anxiously.

“Nothing-- just black-- there’s no way of climbing down, we’ll just have to drop.” Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.

“You want to go first? Are you sure?” said Ron. “I don’t know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep.” Harry handed the flute over. in the few seconds of silence the dog twitched and growled but as soon as Hermione began to play it fell back to sleep. Harry climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom.

He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Ron and said “If anything happens to me, don’t follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?”

“Right, “ said Ron.

“See you in a minute, I hope…” And Harry let go, disappearing into the inky black, and -- FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump, they heard harry land.

“It’s okay!” he called up to them “it’s a soft landing, you can jump!” Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Harry.

“What’s this stuff?” were his first words.

“Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it’s here to break the fall. Come on, y/n!”

y/n jumped cold, damp air rushed past her as she fell down, landing on something soft. The music stopped as Hermione jumped down the hole and landed next to Ron

“We must be miles under the school,” said Y/n.

“Lucky this plant thing’s here, really,” said Ron.

“Lucky!” shrieked Hermione. “Look at you both!”

The girls leaped up and struggled toward a damp wall. They had to struggle because the moment they had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around their ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing. Hermione and Y/n had managed to free themselves before the plant got a firm them. Now they watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

“Don’t move!” Hermione ordered them. “I know what this is-- it’s Devil’s Snare!”

“Oh, I’m so glad we know what it’s called, that’s a great help,” snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

“Shut up, I’m trying to think how to kill it!” said y/n

"Well hurry it up I can't breath" harry gasped

"oh, what did professor sprout say? - it likes the dark and the damp -"

"so light a fire!" Ron choaked

"yes - of course - but we've got no wood!"

"no w - MINNEY HAVE YOU GONE MAD!" y/n brandished her wand.

"Incendio" 

y/n shot down the plants. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from her bodies, and they were able to pull free.

“Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione,” said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping the sweat  
off his face.

“Yeah,” said Ron, “and lucky Y/n doesn’t lose her head in a crisis - 'there's no wood' honestly.”

“This way,” said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward. All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and y/n was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, she remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the Wizards’ bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon...

“Can you hear something?” Ron whispered. y/n listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

“Do you think it’s a ghost?” 

“I don’t know… sounds like wings to me.”

“There’s light ahead-- I can see something moving.”

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering, and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door. 

“Do you think they’ll attack us if we cross the room?” said Ron.

“Probably,” said Harry. “They don’t look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once… well, there’s no other choice… I’ll run.”

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. y/n expected a dozen birds to swoop down and start pecking and clawing at harry any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door  
untouched. He pulled the handle, but it was locked. The other three followed him. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn’t budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.

“Now what?”

“These birds… they can’t be here just for decoration,” said Hermione.

“Is it just me or do they look like winged keys?” asked Y/N.

“You’re right!” shouted Harry. “Look! Broomsticks! We’ve got to catch the key to the door!”

“But there are hundreds of them!” Ron examined the lock on the door

“Over there.” Y/n pointed at a large silver key that had a bent wing. Harry climbed onto the broom and went after the key.

“We’ve got to close in on it!” Harry called, not taking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing.

“Ron, you come at it from above-- Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I’ll try and catch it. Y/n be ready to throw the door open. Right, NOW!”

Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, Y/n ran to the door with her hands on the doorknob, the key dodged them both, and Harry streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron and the girl’s cheers echoed around  
the high chamber.

They landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, Y/n took the key and opened the door.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn’t see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, the light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like a black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Harry, Ron, Y/n, and Hermione shivered slightly-- the towering white chessmen had no faces. 

“Now what do we do?” Harry whispered.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” said Ron. “We’ve got to play our way across the room.”

Behind the white pieces, they could see another door.

“How?” said Hermione nervously.

“I think,” said Ron “we’re going to have to be chessmen.”

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight’s horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

“Do we-- er-- have to join you to get across?” the black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other three.

“This needs thinking about,” he said. “I suppose we’ve got to take the place of three of black pieces….” Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally, he said, “Now don’t be offended or anything, but neither of you is that good at chess--”

“We’re not offended,” said Harry quickly. “Just tell us what to do.”

“Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you will be that castle.

“What about me?” asked Y/n.

“You’re going to be the queen and I’ll be the knight,” said Ron. The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving the empty squares that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Y/n took.

“White always plays first in chess,” said Ron, peering across the board. “Yes… look…” A white pawn had moved forward two squares. Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Harry’s knees were  
trembling. What if they lost?

“Harry-- move diagonally four squares to the right.”

Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

“Had to let that happen,” said Ron, looking shaken. “Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on.”

Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black layers slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.

“We’re nearly there,” he muttered suddenly. “Let me think let me think…”

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

“Yes…” said Ron softly, “It’s the only way…. I’ve got to be taken.”

“No!” Harry and Hermione shouted.

“That’s chess!” snapped Ron. “You’ve got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she’ll take me-- that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

“But —” 

“Do you want to stop Snape or not?” 

“Ron —” 

“Look, if you don’t hurry up, he’ll already have the Stone!” 

There was no alternative. “Ready?” Ron called, his face pale but determined. “Here I go — now, don’t hang around once you’ve won.” He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor — Hermione screamed but stayed on her square — the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he’d been knocked out. Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry’s feet. They had won. 

The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Y/n charged through the door and up the next passageway. 

“What if he’s —?”

“He’ll be all right,” said Harry, though he didn't look very sure of it. 

“What do you reckon’s next?” 

“We’ve had Sprout’s, that was the Devil’s Snare; Flitwick must’ve put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell’s spell, and Snape’s.”

They had reached another door.

“All right?” Harry whispered. “Go on.”

y/n pushed it open. A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

“I’m glad we didn’t have to fight that one,” Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs.

“Come on, I can’t breathe.” He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line. 

“Snape’s,” said Harry. “What do we have to do?” They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn’t ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

y/n scoffed "so dramatic"

“Look!” Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry and y/n looked over her shoulder to read it: 

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, 

Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,

One among us seven will let you move ahead, 

Another will transport the drinker back instead, 

Two among our number hold only nettle wine, 

Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line. 

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore, To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four: 

First, however, slyly the poison tries to hide 

You will always find some on nettle wine’s left side; 

Second, different are those who stand at either end, But if you would move onward, neither is your friend; 

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size, Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides; 

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight. 

The girls let out a great sigh and Harry, amazed, saw that they were smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing. 

“Brilliant,” said Hermione. “This isn’t magic — it’s logic — a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven’t got an ounce of logic, they’d be stuck in here forever.” 

“But so will we, won’t we?” 

“Of course not,” said Y/n. “Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple. oh, of course, snape would wax poetic about his test.” 

“But how do we know which to drink?” 

“Give us a minute.” Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, they clapped their hands. “Got it,” Hermione said. “The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire — toward the Stone.” Harry looked at the tiny bottle. 

“There’s only enough there for two of us,” he said. “That’s hardly one swallow.” They looked at each other. 

“Which one will get you back through the purple flames?” Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

“You drink that,” said Harry. 

“No, listen, get back, and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying key room, they’ll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy — go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I’m no match for him, really.”

“But Harry — what if You-Know-Who’s with him?” 

“Well — we were lucky once, weren’t we?” said Harry, pointing at his scar and gesturing at Y/n.

“We might get lucky again.” Hermione’s lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and Y/n, threw her arms around them. 

“Hermione!”

“Harry, Y/n — you’re a great witch and wizard, you know.” 

“I’m not as good as you,” said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him. 

“Me!” said Hermione. “Books! And cleverness! There are more important things — friendship and  
bravery and — oh Y/n —be careful! ” 

“You drink first,” said Harry. 

“You are sure which is which, aren’t you?” 

“Positive,” said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end and shuddered

“It’s not poison?” said y/n anxiously. 

“No — but it’s like ice.” 

“Quick, go before it wears off.” 

“Good luck — take care.” 

“GO!” Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire. 

Harry and Y/n looked at each other, "We can do this, together just like that day." reassured Y/n. Harry took Y/n's hand, together they took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. They turned to face the black flames.

“Here we come,” he said, as they drained the little bottle in one gulp. It was indeed as though ice was flooding their body. They put the bottle down and walked forward; Y/n's grip on Harry’s hand tightened in a worried manner

They braced themselves, saw the black flames licking their body, but couldn’t feel them — for a moment they could see nothing but dark fire — then they were on the other side, in the last chamber. There was already someone there — but it wasn’t Snape. It wasn’t even Voldemort.


	15. Professor Quirrel’s Mystery FaceTime Partner

It was Quirrell.

“You!” gasped Harry. 

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn’t twitching at all. “Me,” he said calmly. “I wondered whether I’d be meeting you here, Potter's.” 

“But I thought — Snape —” 

“Severus?” Quirrell laughed, and it wasn’t his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. 

“Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn’t he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?” Y/n couldn’t take it in. This couldn’t be true, it couldn’t.

“But Snape tried to kill us!” 

“No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my concentration. Another few seconds and I’d have got you off that broom. I’d have managed it before then if Snape hadn’t been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you -” 

“Snape was trying to save me?” 

“Of course,” said Quirrell coolly. 

“Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn’t do it again. Funny, really… he needn’t have bothered. I couldn’t do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I’m going to kill you tonight.” Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry and Y/n. 

“You’re too nosy to live, Potter's. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you’d seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone.” 

“You let the troll in?” 

“Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls — you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off — and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, but that three-headed dog didn’t even manage to bite Snape’s leg off properly.”

“Now, wait quietly, Potter's. I need to examine this interesting mirror.” It was only then that y/n realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised.

“This mirror is the key to finding the Stone,” Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. 

“Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this… but he’s in London… I’ll be far away by the time he gets back…” All y/n could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror. 

“you and snape were in the forest —” she blurted out. 

“Yes,” said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. “He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I’d got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me — as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…” Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it. 

“I see the Stone… I’m presenting it to my master… but where is it?” Harry struggled against the ropes binding them, but they didn’t give. They had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

“But Snape always seemed to hate us so much.” 

"and he was always a huge creep."

“he does, and he is,” said Quirrell casually, “heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn’t you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead.” 

“But we heard you a few days ago, sobbing — we thought Snape was threatening you…” For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell’s face. 

“Sometimes,” he said, “I find it hard to follow my master’s instructions — he is a great wizard and I am weak —” 

“You mean he was there in the classroom with you?” Harry gasped. “He is with me wherever I go,” said Quirrell quietly. 

“I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. there is no good or evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it… Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me.” Quirrell shivered suddenly. “He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…” Quirrell’s voice trailed away. The teens remembered their trip to Diagon Alley — how could they have been so stupid? He’d seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron. Quirrell cursed under his breath. 

“I don’t understand… is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?” Y/n’s mind was racing. 

'What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, she thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it — which means I’ll see where it’s hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I’m up to?'

They tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around their ankles were too tight: they tripped and fell over. 

Quirrell ignored them. He was still talking to himself. “What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!” And to their horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself. 

“Use the kids… Use the kids…” Quirrell rounded on Harry. “Yes — Potter's— come here.” He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding the duo fell off. Harry and Y/n got slowly to their feet. 

“Come here,” Quirrell repeated. “Look in the mirror and tell me what you see.” y/n walked toward him. 

'We have to lie, she thought desperately. We must look and lie about what we see, that’s all.'

Quirrell moved close behind her. y/n breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell’s turban. She closed her eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again. she saw their reflections, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection's smiled at them. harry's reflection put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket — and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow — incredibly —they’d gotten the Stone. 

“Well?” said Quirrell impatiently. “What do you see?” y/n screwed up his courage. 

“I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore,” harry invented. “I — I’ve won the house cup for Gryffindor.” 

“I see my family were all happy and together,” answered Y/N. Quirrell cursed again. 

“Get out of the way,” he said. As y/n moved aside. Dare they make a break for it? But they hadn’t walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn’t moving his lips. 

“they lie… they lie…” 

“Potter's, come back here!” Quirrell shouted. “Tell me the truth! What did you just see?” The high voice spoke again. 

“Let me speak to them… face-to-face…” 

“Master, you are not strong enough!” 

“I have strength enough… for this…” Harry and Y/n felt as if Devil’s Snare was rooting them to the spot. They couldn’t move a muscle. Petrified, they watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell’s head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot. y/n would have screamed, but she couldn’t make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell’s head, there was a face, the most terrible face Y/n had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

“Harry Potter… Y/n potter...” it whispered. Y/n tried to take a step backward but their legs wouldn’t move.

“See what I have become?” the face said. “Mere shadow and vapor… I have formed only when I can share another’s body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds… Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest… and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own… Now… why don’t you give me that Stone in your pocket?”

so he knew

“Better save your own life and join me… or you’ll meet the same end as your parents… They died begging me for mercy…” 

“LIAR!” y/n shouted suddenly. Quirrell was walking backward at them so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.

“How touching…” it hissed. “I always value bravery… Yes, children, your parents were brave… I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn’t have died… she was trying to protect you… Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.” 

“NEVER!” Harry sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed “SEIZE HIM!” and the next second, Harry was grabbed at the wrist by Quirrell as Y/n felt someone grabbing her shirt. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Y/n’s neck and she started to yell, struggling with all their might, and to her surprise, Quirrell, let go of them. The pain in her body lessened — she looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers — they were blistering before his eyes. 

“Seize him! SEIZE HIM!” shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet landing on top of him, both hands around Harry’s neck. 

“Master, I cannot hold them — my hands — my hands!” shouted Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his palms — Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny. 

“Then kill him, fool, and be done!” screeched Voldemort. Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse but then y/n wrapped her hands wrapped around Quirrell’s neck, and suddenly, hand's reached out and grabbed Quirrell’s face — “AAAARGH!” Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, and then y/n knew: Quirrell couldn’t touch their bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain — their only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse. Harry jumped to his feet, catching Quirrell by the arm, and Y/n kept herself tightly around Quirrell’s neck. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry and Y/n off — the pain in y/n's neck was building — she couldn’t see — she could only hear Quirrell’s terrible shrieks and Voldemort’s yells of, “KILL HIM! KILL HIM!” and other voices, maybe in y/n's head, crying. harry’s screams could also be heard.

“Harry!” 

"Y/n!” They felt Quirrell’s body wrenched from their grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down… down… down…

————

someone was staring down at her, Minney... she reached out to toucher. something was off, Minney was wearing a big pair of half-moon glasses. How strange. She blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above her. 

“Good afternoon, y/n,” said Dumbledore. y/n stared at him. Then she remembered: “Dumbledore! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He’s got the Stone! quick —” 

“Calm yourself, dear girl, you are a little behind the times,” said Dumbledore. “Quirrell does not have the Stone.” 

“Then who does? I —” 

“y/n, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out.” y/n swallowed and looked around her. She realized she must be in the hospital wing. She was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to her was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop. 

“Tokens from your friends and admirers,” said Dumbledore, beaming.

"oh h-" y/n corrected herself, dumbledore was the headmaster. "heck yeah" 

“What happened down in the dungeons between you, Harry, and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it.”

"shame, I would have loved a decorative toilet seat, so. How long have I been in here?” 

“Three days. Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried.” 

“But the Stone —” 

“I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say.” 

“What about Harry?” asked y/n, the girl began looking around and noticed his tiny body lying in the bed next to her but was covered by the mountain of candy.

“he's doing fine,” answered Dumbledore. “he's simply resting.”

“You got there? You got Hermione’s owl?” 

“We must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you.” 

“It was you.” 

“I feared I might be too late.”

“yeah, nearly, I couldn’t have kept him off the Stone much longer –”

“Not the Stone, you — the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed.” 

“Destroyed?” said y/n blankly. “But your friend — Nicolas Flamel —” 

“Oh, you know about Nicolas?” said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. “You did do the thing properly, didn’t you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it’s all for the best.” 

“who gives up immortality!” 

“They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die.” Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry’s face. “To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all — the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.” 

y/n lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling

“Dumbledore?” said y/n. “I’ve been thinking… even if the Stone’s gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who —” 

“Call him Voldemort, y/n. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.” 

“Yes, sir. Well, surely Voldemort’s wouldn't give up so easily. I mean he's not gone, isn’t he?”

“No, y/n, he is not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, y/n, while you and your brother may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time — and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power.” 

y/n nodded but stopped quickly because it made his head hurt. Then he said, “Hey, there some things I want to know the truth about…” 

“The truth.” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should, therefore, be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you’ll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie.” well that wasn't sketchy at all.

“right, Well… Voldemort said that he only killed our mother because she tried to stop him from killing us. But, why would he want to kill little baby's in the first place?"

Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time. 

“Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you."

"Seriously?" 

"yes, today is not the day. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind, for now, y/n. When you are older… I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know.” And Dumbledore was right, she did hate that, but she knew it would be no good to argue. 

“But why couldn’t Quirrell touch us?” 

“Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.”

Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave y/n time to dry her eyes on the sheet. When she had found her voice again, y/n said, “And the invisibility cloak — do you know who sent it to us?” 

“Ah — your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it.” Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled. “Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here.”

“And there’s something else…” 

“Fire away.”

“Quirrell said, Snape —”

“Professor Snape, y/n.” 

“sure — Quirrell said he hates us because he hated our father -” Dumbledore cut her off.

“Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive.” 

“What?”

“He saved his life.” 

“What?” 

“Yes…” said Dumbledore dreamily. “Funny, the way people’s minds work, isn’t it? Professor Snape couldn’t bear being in your father’s debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you two this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father’s memory in peace…”

y/n tried to understand this but it made her head pound, so she stopped.

“And sir, there’s one more thing…” 

“Just the one?”

“How did we get the Stone out of the mirror?”

“Ah, now, I’m glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that’s saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone — find it, but not use it — would be able to get it, otherwise, they’d just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes... Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit-flavored one, and since then I’m afraid I’ve rather lost my liking for them — but I think I’ll be safe with a nice toffee, don’t you?” 

“I wouldn’t eat that,” said Harry as she sat up groggily. Dumbledore smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said,

“Alas! Ear wax!”

————

Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict. 

“Please Madam Pomfrey, you always let them come visit me why not this time?” begged Y/n.

“Just five minutes,” Harry pleaded. 

“Absolutely not.” 

“You let Professor Dumbledore in…” 

“Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You both need rest.”

“I am resting, look, lying down, and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey…” 

“Oh, very well,” she said. “But five minutes only.” And she let Ron and Hermione in.

“y/n!” Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around her again, but y/n was a little disappointed she held herself back. 

“Oh, Harry, Y/n, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —” 

“The whole school’s talking about it,” said Ron

“What really happened?” It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors. Harry and Y/n told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell’s turban, Hermione screamed out loud.

“So the Stone’s gone?” said Ron finally. 

“Flamel’s just going to die?” 

“That’s what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — ‘to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.’”

“I always said he was off his rocker,” said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was. 

"that's what I said!"

“So what happened to you two?” said harry.

“Well, I got back all right,” said Hermione. “I brought Ron round — that took a while — and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall — he already knew — he just said, ‘Harry’s gone after him, hasn’t he?’ and hurtled off to the third floor.” 

“D’you think he meant you to do it?” said Ron. "Sending you your father’s cloak and everything?” 

“Well, ” Hermione exploded, “if he did — I mean to say that’s terrible — you could have been killed.” 

“No, it isn’t,” said Harry thoughtfully. “He’s a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don’t think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It’s almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…” 

"wow, he let children handle the problem? headmaster of the year."

“Yeah, Dumbledore’s off his rocker, all right,” said Ron proudly. “Listen, you’ve got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you — but the food’ll be good.” 

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over. “You’ve had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT,” she said firmly. After a good night’s sleep, Harry and Y/n felt nearly back to normal. 

“We want to go to the feast,” she told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened her many candy boxes. “We can, can’t we?” 

“Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go,” she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn’t realize how risky feasts could be. “And you have another visitor.” 

“Oh, good,” said Y/n. “Who is it?” Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual, when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry, took one look at them, and burst into tears. “It’s — all — my — ruddy — fault!” he sobbed, his face in his hands. “I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn’t know, an’ I told him! Yeh could’ve died! All fer a dragon egg! I’ll never drink again! I should be chucked out an’ made ter live as a Muggle!” 

“Hagrid!” said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. “Hagrid, he’d have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we’re talking about, he’d have found out even if you hadn’t told him.”

“Yeh could’ve died!” sobbed Hagrid. “An’ don’ say the name!” 

“VOLDEMORT!” y/n bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. “I’ve met him and I’m calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it’s gone, he can’t use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, we've got loads…”

Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, “That reminds me. I’ve got yeh a present.” 

“It’s not a stoat sandwich, is it?” said Harry anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle. 

“Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. ‘course, he shoulda sacked me instead — anyway, got yeh this…” It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at them from every page were their parents. 

“Sent owls off ter all yer parents’ old school friends, askin’ fer photos… knew yeh didn’ have any… d’yeh like it?” the duo couldn’t speak, but Hagrid understood. Harry and Y/n made their way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. They had been held up by Madam Pomfrey’s fussing about, insisting on giving them one last checkup, so the Great Hall was already full.

It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin’s winning the house  
cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table. When Harry and Y/n walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. They slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at them. Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.

"Another year has gone!" said Dumbledore cheerfully "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully, your heads are all a little fuller than they were... You have the whole Summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts." he paused for a moment.

"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding and the points stand thus; In fourth place, Gryffindor with three hundred and twelve points. In third place, Hufflepuff with three hundred and fifty-two points. In the second place, Ravenclaw with four hundred and twenty-six points and in first place Slytherin with four hundred and seventy-two points."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. y/n wanted to roll her eyes at Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin." said Dumbledore making them stop "However, recent events must be taken into account." The room went still, y/n could see the Slytherins smiles fading a little. "Ahem." started Dumbledore "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see, yes..."

"First, to Mister Ronald Weasley!" y/n watched as Ron turned red in the face and then purple "For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House fifty points!"

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling, the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, “My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall’s giant chess set!” At last, there was silence again. 

Once they calmed down Dumbledore once again began "Second, to Miss Hermione Granger for the use of  
cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms, y/n rubbed her back supportively as she suspected that Minney had burst into tears. y/n watched as albino Malfoy lost his smile and glared at them from across the great hall. They both knew that Slytherin this year will not win the House Cup. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves, they were a hundred points up. 

"Third, to Mister and miss Potter," said Dumbledore as the room went deadly quiet "for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House sixty points."

The dinner hall was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points, exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the House Cup. y/n knew that this is not the end as they watched Dumbledore raising his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage." he said smiling "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies but just as much to stand up to our friends. I, therefore, award ten points to Mister Neville Longbottom."

It seemed as though a bomb went off from the Gryffindor table. Neville was piled up by Harry, Hermione, Ron, and y/n, the poor boy, was white from shock. Everyone was cheering as loud as they could for him. He had never won so many points for Gryffindor before. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws joined in as well as they all celebrated the downfall of Slytherin and Snape.

“Which means,” Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, “we need a little change of decoration.” He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall’s hand, with a horrible, forced smile. 

He caught Harry and Y/n eyes and y/n knew at once that Snape’s feelings toward him hadn’t changed one bit, and y/n couldn't give a single fuck. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.

It was the best evening of Y/n’s life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls… she would never, ever forget tonight. Y/n had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To her great surprise, both harry and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione and Y/n, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one.

They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn’t have everything in life. And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville’s toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays (“I always hope they’ll forget to give us these,” said Fred Weasley sadly). 

Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King’s Cross Station. It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn’t attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles. 

“You have to come and stay this summer,” said Ron, “all of you — I’ll send you an owl.” 

“Thanks,” said Harry, “we'll need something to look forward to.” People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. 

Some of them called: “Bye, Y/n!” 

“See you, Potter's!” 

“Still famous,” said Ron, grinning at him. 

“Not where we're going, I promise you,” said y/n. y/n, harry, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together. 

“There they are, Mom, there they are, look!” It was Ginny Weasley, Ron’s younger sister, but she wasn’t pointing at Ron.

“Harry and Y/n Potter” she squealed. “Look, Mom! I can see —” 

“Be quiet, Ginny, and it’s rude to point.” Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them. “Busy year?” she said. 

“Very,” said Harry. 

“Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley,” added Y/n

"oh, it was nothing, dear."

"ready, are you?" it was uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of harry and y/n, carrying owls in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. behind him stood aunt petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of the twins.

"you must be the potters family!" said Mrs. Wesley

"in a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "hurry up, kids, we haven't got all day." he walked away.

the twins hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione. 

"see you over the summer, then." y/n tried to smile semi-warmly at Hermione

"hope you have - er - a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant. 

"oh, we will," said y/n, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. "they don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home."

y/n could tell it was going to be a good summer.


End file.
